IW soccer falls in season opener

BURLINGTON — The Iowa Wesleyan women soccer team opened its season against Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College at Bracewell Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Not only was it the beginning of the season for the Tigers, but it also marked the beginning of Iowa Wesleyan Head Coach Bobby Lynch’s career with the team.

Iowa Wesleyan showed a lot of potential, scoring three goals on the day, but the Tigers couldn’t slow the Pomeroy’s attacking side and dropped the opener, 5-3.

Both teams went back and forth through the early minutes of the match, but it was the Pomeroys who struck first in the 27th minute.

St. Mary’s Sierra Mullins was able to squeak the ball past Iowa Wesleyan goalie Chelsea Squibb off an assist from Kennedy Trigg.

The 1-0 lead would hold throughout the rest of the first half, but it was all fireworks in the second.

Iowa Wesleyan wasted no time, as Marta Cuenca Carcel knotted the game up in the 46th minute.

Nearly two minutes later, Mullins slipped her second goal of the night in for the Pomeroys, making it 2-1. The advantage was short-lived though, as the Tiger’s Jaycee Page scored her first career goal just under a minute later, tying the game at 2-2.

After a 12 minute scoring drought, the Trigg and Mullins connection struck once again in the 62nd minutes with Mullins assisting Trigg this time around making it 3-2.

The Pomeroys seal the deal in the next 10 minutes. Mullins assisted once again in the 69th minute, finding Kaylee Lowe and then Mullins scored one herself just under the 71st minute give St. Mary’s a 5-2 lead.

Iowa Wesleyan’s Desire’ Adams was able to find the net with less than 90 seconds remaining in the game to make it 5-3, but time ran out on the Tigers.

The Tigers out shot the Pomeroys 27-13 with Iowa Wesleyan sending 19 toward the net and St. Mary’s 11. The Pomeroys made 16 saves in the match. Squibb made six saves for the Tigers. Adams led the Tigers offensive attack with three shots on goal and one goal.