The Baker University women’s soccer team made history Friday by playing in the semifinal round of the NAIA National Championships in Decatur, Ala.
The team’s national championship run ended at the hands of Hastings College, which won 3-1.
“We had a strong group of seniors that didn’t want to give up,” senior Christine Janssens said. “We played eight games in the postseason and every game the seniors went in saying ‘this is not our last game.'”
Despite the seven shots by Baker in the first half, the teams went into halftime with the score tied 0-0.
Hastings was the first to strike, scoring about 25 minutes into the second half. Less than three minutes later, Hastings scored again on a shot from about 25 yards out, which bent into the top, right corner of the net, taking its lead to 2-0.
Janssens had a chance to put Baker on the scoreboard with a penalty kick about 30 minutes into the second half, but the Hastings goalkeeper saved the kick and the score remained 2-0.
Hastings netted one last goal to bring the score to 3-0 with about 10 minutes remaining.
Not even 20 seconds later, senior Jen Sampson put one in the net for the Wildcats to end the shutout.
With only 10 minutes left in the match, Baker was unable to overcome Hastings.
“At that point there were so many games right in a row, Hastings simply outworked us,” senior Chelsea Dunn said. “I think any other day it could’ve gone either way, and that day just didn’t go our way.”
Goalkeeper Maggie Dupes had six saves in the match and Baker took 12 shots total, with seven shots on goal.
This is the best season record the team has had in the past four years at 14-6-4.
“It’s been a season where the butterfly came out of the cocoon,” head coach Nate Houser said.
Baker Orange staff member Jordan Dolbin and senior Carly Dickens were named to the NAIA All-Tournament Team for their performances at the National Championships. Janssens and Dunn were named to the NAIA Soccer All-America Honorable Mention Team.
Junior Alix Schiraldi led the team in goals on the season with 13, while senior Christine Janssens recorded 11 goals and three assists on the season.
The team grew throughout the season, but Houser said as a team, they grew together the most during their week in Alabama.
“They spend so much time balancing school and life and soccer,” Houser said. “To put the team first for a few days was fun.”
Houser said the support the team received throughout the season, especially at the HAAC Tournament and during the national tournament, was a part of its success.
“I think the first time we heard there was a union full of people watching the game we were just like, ‘Really?'” Houser said.
Despite the loss, members of the team are hoping to keep building the program and are pleased with how far it came this year, as well as the support from the Baker community.
“We knew it was an accomplishment the entire time, but just the fact that we went out on a loss and were so close, and when we came back our fan base was so supportive and was congratulating us, showed us how great it really was,” Janssens said.
The Baker community isn’t the only one proud of them, either. Houser said that team was special and the girls are all amazing.
“I would let my daughter hang out with these girls,” Houser said. “That’s how much I think of them.”
