2008 Woodie Awards
Banana Slugs slime Gorloks in second round
Optimism persists as WU retains freshmen team leaders
By: Matt Majikas
Issue date: 11/16/06 Section: Sports
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The Gorloks failed to make it past the second round of the NCAA Tournament, which was played on their home field at Anheuser Busch Soccer Park. Gorlok fans packed the cold metal bleachers, hot chocolate in hand, hoping for a Gorlok win.
The first half was all the Banana Slugs needed as they took advantage of Gorlok mistakes. A soft goal by UC Santa Cruz sophomore Annick Lamb put the Banana Slugs out in front just five minutes into the first half. Lamb scored her second goal just 15 minutes later, and the Banana Slugs never looked back, tallying all four of their goals in the first half.
"Jessica (Kozeny) was hung out to dry on all four of those goals," freshman midfielder Abby Klobe said. "There is nothing a goaltender can do in that situation."
Sophomore goaltender Kozeny faced six shots in the first half as the Gorloks mustered three shots, including a blast by freshman forward Kelsey McClure that struck the cross bar and sailed out of bounds.
At half time, Head Coach Luigi Scire told his players the second half was about playing for pride.
"We had a great week of practice and, mentally, I thought that we were prepared," Scire said. "But when you play good teams and you make mistakes in the offensive third of the field, they will make you pay."
The Gorloks refocused for the second half, holding the Banana Slugs to just five shots. Senior goaltender Heather Schaefer was in net for the Gorloks, compiling three saves and shutting out the Banana Slugs for the entire second half.
"We knew we were not playing to the best of our ability," Schaefer said. "We needed to step up and show them what kind of team we really were."
Four shots by the Gorloks did not find the back of the net as they dropped their fourth game of the season, finishing with a 16-4-2 overall record.
UC Santa Cruz advanced to the third round of the NCAA Tournament and is scheduled to play the 19-0-3 Hardin Simmons College Cowgirls from Abilene, Texas, Nov. 17. Hardin Simmons is fresh off their defeat of the No. 1 ranked team in the nation, Trinity University.
The Gorloks' early exit from the NCAA Tournament was by no means a disappointing one, Scire said.
"What is impressive about our team is that this game showed our unity and our character," Scire said. "We showed that when we are on, we can play with these types of teams."
The Gorloks graduated a core of players in 2005 and left many feeling the 2006 season would be a transition year. A number of good recruits - including this year's leading goal-scorer, freshman forward Kelsey McClure - allowed the Gorloks to have an even more successful season than 2005.
"I told the girls at the end of the game that there should be this burning, yuck feeling inside that they need to use for motivation for next season," Scire said.
The 2007 Gorloks will likely have 16 returning players, including eight freshmen, who combined accounted for more than 60 percent of the Gorloks' offensive production in 2006.
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