Marquette’s 2018 season was not exactly the highest scoring. Entering Thursday’s Senior Night contest against Seton Hall, the Golden Eagles had a total of four goals in the last seven matches.
“It’s been a challenge this year,” head coach Markus Roeders said. “A lot of things didn’t fall into place.”
But Marquette ended its 2018 campaign on a much different note, winning 4-0 against the Seton Hall Pirates in the team’s biggest win of the season.
“It adds a sweet moment to the season,” Roeders said. “I don’t think it erases how (the season) went, but I’m happy for our group … You could see the joy of what winning was like and scoring goals, and we didn’t have much of that this year.”
The offensive outburst started in the 42nd minute with a Katie Koker goal from 19 yards out on the right flank. It was the freshman’s first career goal.
“You saw the joy on her face,” Roeders said. “It was a heck of a shot in the end.”
Seton Hall nearly broke the tie in the 54th minute on a shot by Dani Brinckman, but Marquette junior goalkeeper Maddy Henry’s jump at the goal line tipped the ball over the net.
Redshirt sophomore Abby Hess scored her first goal of 2018 with a low shot from 10 yards away. Redshirt senior Heather Handwork had the assist.
“I saw Abby make a great run out wide,” Handwork said. “She had the better chance (to score).”
Handwork went from assisting to scoring in the 88th minute with her first goal since 2014 from the top of the box.
“It’s just so surreal. I was so happy when that happened,” Handwork said. “It was a mispass, and I just stepped in and won it. I knew I had one more chance to go for goal.”
Redshirt senior Carrie Madden, Marquette’s leading goal-scorer in 2017, then had a header in the 89th minute to break a two-month scoring drought and expand Marquette’s lead to 4-0.
“We just looked at each other and were like, ‘That was it right there,’” Handwork said. “That’s the one.”
Marquette finished with a 16-9 shot advantage, including an 10-4 advantage in shots on goal. Seton Hall goalkeeper Jackie Robinson had six saves.
Henry had three saves, finishing the season with a career-high 100 saves. She literally one-upped last year’s total after picking up 99 saves in 2017.
Senior Sloane Carlson played 13 minutes on Senior Night, recording one save. She finished her career with eight career saves in 201 minutes.
Marquette will retool next year after losing seven seniors, four of which started at least semi-regularly.
“We have to move forward,” Roeders said. “Let this sink in a little bit, close the book and thank our seniors.”
