At Marquette women’s soccer’s (3-5-2) non-conference finale against St. Thomas (4-4-1), the Tommie faithful’s purple shirts decorated the East side of Valley Fields: a place Marquette have only lost once at this season.
Head coach Chris Allen has ceremonial words that say “Protect Valley” — that are also on a sign in their locker room — must’ve been heavy on the Golden Eagles’ minds.
They went on to shut out the Tommies 5-0, who was averaging two goals and 14.6 shots per game coming into Thursday. Marquette scored four times in the second half.
“We have been desperate for a second half performance like this all season,” Allen said. “One where we absolutely put our foot down on the gas. Us scoring 57 seconds into the second half buried them and put the team away.
“I think that was our best performance of the season.”
Marquette’s attack fires on all cylinders
The Marquette attack came out firing before St. Thomas could even get a shot off.
41 seconds into the game, senior forward Julia O’Neill took a hard shot that missed just left of the side bar and hit the outside of the net. After 10 minutes and three corner kicks, senior midfielder Tess O’Connell used her head just feet outside the goal to score off a corner kick from Kiara Clarke.
15′ | MU – 1 | ST. THOMAS – 0 | Tess O’Connell’s third goal of the season gives Marquette early lead. Kiara Clarke with the assist on the corner kick. pic.twitter.com/X1u7cvRsut
— MARQUETTE Soccer (@MarquetteWSOC) September 19, 2024
“It’s extremely important [to score early],” senior midfielder Carina Murphy said. “I’m very proud of everyone on the team and I think we needed all these goals together. I’m super proud of everyone, it was great.”
The Tommies were within inches of scoring in the 14th minute when senior defender Abby Brantner took a free kick that rung the crossbar. It would be another 35 minutes until they would fire off another shot.
Marquette used give-and-gos and an attack they had been refining all season to keep the ball on the Tommies’ side of the field. Going into the half, the Golden Eagles would pencil in seven shots and seven corner kicks.
“We earn corner kicks and we’re starting to become really dangerous on them,” Allen said. “That’s very important for us going into Big East play because we’re gonna have to find ways to score unconventionally. Three of our five goals came off set pieces tonight. That’s awesome and that service is good.”
Although it had plenty of chances in the first half, Marquette only had one goal to show for its opportunities heading into the break. Then the Golden Eagles came out and scored twice in the first four minutes of the half.
57 seconds into the second half, O’Connell found herself at the top of the box and drilled her shot into the top left corner of the net. O’Connell now has two multi-goal performances in Marquette’s last three games.
49′ | MU – 2 | ST. THOMAS – 0 | Tess O’Connell’s second goal extends the lead. pic.twitter.com/QmyQVQnelw
— MARQUETTE Soccer (@MarquetteWSOC) September 19, 2024
Three minutes later, sophomore forward Emily Fix took a trick out of O’Connell’s book. She headed in a goal right outside the net off an undefended bounce from a corner kick to bring Marquette up 3-0.
Murphy and junior forward Josie Bieda each added to Marquette’s lead in the 72nd and 85th minute respectively.
“It was a great corner kick from Haley Christianson. Beautiful,” Murphy said. “Everyone was in the right spot going for their 1 v 1 battles and I just put it back on frame. So it feels good.”
Up Next
Marquette will play their Big East lid-lifter against Butler in Indianapolis, IN on Sunday. Kickoff is scheduled for at 12 p.m. CST.
“This [win] gives us a lot of confidence going into [Big East play]. I think they’re excited,” Allen said. “They can feel like they can score goals and now it’s just going to be about our belief. We’re going to go against teams that have a little bit more talent, a little bit more athleticism than us, but no one’s gonna out-culture us, and no one’s gonna outwork us, and that’s gonna keep us in the game for a while.
“We’re really starting to find ourselves and we’re pumped up about it. It’s coming at the right time, prior to Big East on Sunday.”
This recap was written by Ben Hanson. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter/x @benhansonMU.
