ANDERSON

In her fourth year at Emporia State, Sarah Anderson emerged as a consistent offensive weapon for Hornet soccer, an area the team need improvement on in going into the season.

Under her leadership, the Hornets have been able to generate 184 shots this year, 103 of those shots on goal.

“She’s a quiet leader,” said head coach Bryan Sailer. “But she does the right thing. She leads by example. She’s a hard worker. She’s here everyday. She’s not missed one practice, one game, not late, nothing. She’s just a good kid, in the community (and) just as a person.”

Anderson grew up in Overland Park where she began playing soccer at an early age, as her dad influenced her to take up the sport.

Although soccer was the first sport she played growing up, she was also a pitcher for a competitive softball team until she entered high school. But in the end, soccer was Anderson’s first choice.

“Honestly, I just love the sport,” Anderson said. “I really like endurance… I love long distance running, so that matches a lot more with soccer than it did softball. Plus, just the whole soccer atmosphere, I like it better than softball.”

Anderson attended St. Thomas Aquinas High School where she lettered for three years in soccer. During her senior season, she scored five goals and had two assists and was a member of the 2006 and 2007 state championship teams.

After high school Anderson chose ESU over other MIAA members Truman and Washburn. In the end, her future plans and the location of the campus persuaded her to choose ESU.

“The location was pretty good for me… I wanted to be close to all my friends and be able to have my parents come to my games, and stuff like that means a lot to me,” Anderson said.

Anderson’s career plans include becoming an elementary teacher or a middle school math teacher. During her time at ESU, Anderson has scored six goals and has had seven assists. This year she scored her sixth goal against Southwest Baptist in a game the Hornets won 3-0. Anderson also had an assist in the game.

Anderson, who has had three assists this year, is currently tied for second on the team in total points. Her leadership this season has not gone unnoticed.

“She shows us by, not only verbally speaking to us, but she also shows us by playing to her best ability,” said junior forward Ashley Hill.

This year is the first for the MIAA soccer tournament. The top six teams will earn a bid, and the Hornets are currently seventh and one point behind Washburn.

As the Hornets attempt to make it into this year’s tournament during their final two games, Anderson’s play at forward will be essential for the team’s success.

Brandon Schneeberger

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ESU returned to the pitch this Thursday to take on the #3 ranked Jennies of Central Missouri. After sticking with the Jennies for 70 minutes of play Hornets fell 4-1.

“I thought that we did really well,” said Head Coach Jim Schneiderhahn. “They’re a good team, but we did a lot of things that they struggled against. We gave up a bad goal on number three, and that really kind of took the air out of us.”

The Hornets found themselves down a pair of goals early, but continued to fight hard after a goal by Sarah Anderson in the 30^th minute of play that went over the outstretched hands of the goalie. ESU would enter the half only down a goal to the third ranked team in the nation.

The second half showed a resurgence of energy from the Hornets especially during the initial 20 minutes of the half in which the Hornets controlled possession.

“We knew that they were going to come out and be really strong in the second half because we were really close with them… but our focus in the second half was to come out stronger than they were,” Anderson said.

Though the beginning of the half started strong, the Jennies answered the call with a goal by Alyssa Rhodes in the 70^th minute, followed by a goal five minutes later by Carly Standley.

The Hornets continued to struggle offensively only generating two shots to 15 by the Jennies. Going in the Hornets looked to produce at least one shot per forward but were unable to register many chances.

Schneiderhahn compared the offensive struggles to a baseball player waiting for the perfect pitch.

“It’s like in baseball when you’re pressing at the plate,” Schneiderhahn said. “You’re looking for that perfect pitch to hit, and if you’re looking for the perfect pitch to hit, you ain’t going to get it. It’s very similar in soccer. They’re looking for that perfect opportunity where everything lights up and they got the perfect shot to go into the corner of the net, and that ain’t going to happen.”

Defender Nikki Dittman was the other Hornet able to generate a shot in the second half. ESU was also outplayed in corner kicks, allowing 10 and registering only three.

The Hornets look to regroup and stay at the pitch for their next game against Missouri Western at 1 p.m. Saturday Oct. 2.

Brandon Schneeberger

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The ESU soccer team traveled to Kirksville, Mo., to face Truman last Thursday. Much like their last time on the field, the Hornets’ defense would eventually break allowing a late goal by Suzanne Pelley in the 71^st minute. The Hornets were unable to match the effort and would go on to lose the game 1-0.

Goalie Katrina Goscha saved six of the seven shots on goal from Truman. Overall the Hornets were outshot in the contest 23 to five and were led by Amanda Penney and Sarah Anderson with two shots apiece. Anderson was able to put a shot on goal late in the first half providing the Hornets best opportunity for a score.

Brandon Schneeberger

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The Hornets took on the Bearcats of South West Baptist University despite the rain last Thursday. After falling behind quickly in the first half, ESU lost the match 5-2.

The Hornets spent most of the game battling from behind as the Bearcats opened up with a goal in the first seven minutes by Ashley Creason. Creason would waste no time scoring her second goal three minutes later.

Troubles continued for the Hornets after Marene Gomez of SBU scored only minutes after Creason’s second goal. Jim Schneiderhahn, the head coach for the Hornets, recognized the slow start.

“We were more concerned with other things,” Schneiderhahn said. “I don’t know if it was the fact that this was a school day, or if it was the dreary weather or what the deal was. I didn’t see what we needed to be successful in the first 20 minutes.”

Despite the slow start, the Hornets would battle back with a goal of their own by junior defender Hollie Schletzbaum.

“I had like a foot of space to play the ball in and I just didn’t want to miss,” Schletzbaum said.

ESU had another shot at a goal late in the first after a shot by sophomore forward Ashley Hill went wide off the opposing goalie’s gloves.

The second half started much like the first as SBU scored in the first couple of minutes on a goal by Haley Edgar. Creason would follow with her third goal giving her a hat-trick on the day.

Though the deficit would prove to be too much for the Hornets to comeback against, they were able find the back of the net in the second half after a goal by Ashley Hill.

“Everybody was confused because they thought it was an offsides, but Sarah (Anderson) crossed it and (I) just played it in the goal,” Hill said. “We just need to work on having our mentality coming into the game ready to play and coming out from the very start.”

The Hornets last opportunity to score would come on a shot by Lauren Cathey late in the second half. With this loss ESU drops to 0-2-1 on the season, losing their second in a row.

“We can’t come out here and be flat,” Schneiderhahn said. “That’s two in a row. We have to sort out what is going to get us motivated to play.”

The Hornets will face North West Missouri on Sept. 19 for their next home match.

Brandon Schneeberger

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Midfielder/Forward Lauren Cathey looks to pass Sunday afternoon on the ESU Pitch. The Hornets fell to the Mavericks 1-4. Kellen Jenkins/The Bulletin.

The Emporia State University Hornets soccer team fell short to the University of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks by 4-1 on Sunday afternoon. The Hornets had seven shots on goal for the day, while holding the Mavericks to only 12.

Freshman midfielder/defender Ashley Hill scored the lone goal for the Hornets from a pass from senior forward Tina Commons during the 44^th minute of the match. The goal was Hill’s fourth of the season, while Commons added her first assist.

The Hornets had a total of nine shots on the day, seven on goal. Commons led the way for the Hornets on the day with three shots, followed closely by senior forward/midfielder Amanda Miano with two. Hill, senior goal keeper Katrina Goscha, senior midfielder/forward Raquel White, and sophomore midfielder/forward Sarah Anderson all had one shot.

Freshman goal keeper Nikki Schmitz had a total of eight saves on the day, allowing four goals.

Although the team fell short on the afternoon, they looked much more physical than in previous outings.

“Our defense especially has been working on being more physical, but as a team in general we’re trying to be more physical,” Commons said. “Sometimes we do get pushed around, and we can’t take that. We’re in college soccer and we can’t get bullied around.”

Injuries also seem to plague the Hornets this year, with three starters already out, and a fourth going down right before the game. Head Coach Jim Schneiderhahn doesn’t seem to be worried about playing his reserve players.

“Hard work is not an option,” Schneiderhahn said. “Regardless, if we had two subs on the sideline or 20, you ask any coach, hard work is not an option – it’s a requirement.”

Forward Amanda Penney works to shoot past a defender Sunday afternoon on the ESU Pitch. The Hornets fell to the Mavericks 1-4. Kellen Jenkins/The Bulletin.

The Hornets were playing the ball and playing defensively stronger than they had in past games.

“It’s our own field, so we have our own little mentality of how the ball is going to be played, and where it’s going to be played,” Commons said. “Especially with your own team, you can see and feel where it’s going to be played at.”

The Hornets still are optimistic about the upcoming games.

“We have to keep working hard, keep our heads up,” Hill said.

“They say losing is character building, we’ve got a lot of character over the past two years,” Schneiderhahn said. “I think losing is certainly a harsher critic, where your mistakes are exposed. I think in the euphoria of wins, you have a tendency to overlook your mistakes or discount them a little bit. We continue to look at film, make adjustments and get better. We still need some other players to give us a hand. The biggest thing I take from it; I like the way that we’re battling. As I told the girls after the game, I have no qualms with the effort in the past matches. I have no disappointment and I’m not ticked off with the lack of effort. It’s nice to see, because sometime we haven’t had that.”

The Hornets will be back in action at 2 p.m. Oct. 22 at the ESU pitch against the Northwest Missouri State University Bearcats.

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