#CUWStatsInfo: A look at Women's Soccer recent seven-match win streak
MEQUON, Wis. – Winning streaks in sports happen because of dedication, teamwork, talent and in some cases, a little bit of luck. The Concordia University Wisconsin Women's Soccer team recently put together one of those streaks, winning seven straight matches from September 6 through September 30.
The Falcons streak, which was recently snapped in a 2-1 setback against Carthage College, was even more impressive because it came after a 0-2-0 start to the 2014 season. A start that included a pair of 2-1 setbacks, including a loss against UW-Whitewater in which CUW saw the Warhawks score with just over a minute left in regulation.
After the loss against UWW, the Falcons continued to work hard and rallied off seven straight. Some of those wins were lopsided (four coming by four goals or more) and some CUW had to work harder for (a pair of one-goal wins).
#CUWStatsInfo decided to look deeper into some of the numbers that helped the Falcons win seven straight matches.
28 – What was maybe most impressive about the Falcons streak was the dominant play they showcased on the pitch. CUW outscored its opponents 30-2, for a +28 goal differential. The Falcons scored four or more goals four times during the streak, including 15 over the final two wins.
20 – You need players that can score goals consistently in Women's Soccer and the Falcons have two players who have no issues finding the back of the net. Juniors Brittany Klumpp (Rubicon, Wis.) and Carley Pfannerstill (Grafton, Wis.) combined for 20 goals over the seven matches. Each player netted 10 goals and added three assists during the streak. Senior Anna Hirssig (Rochester, Minn.) added four goals for the Falcons as she continues to be a strong threat to score as well.
7 – Over the past few years CUW has found out the importance of scoring first in a match. Entering the season, the Falcons had a 32-match win streak when scoring first. That streak was snapped in the season-opener against Lake Forest College, but the Falcons struck first in every match during the stretch. During Tuesday's streak-snapping loss to Carthage, it was the Lady Reds who scored first.
6 – While Pfannerstill and Klumpp certainly have impressed with their ability to score, junior Emily Ciesielczyk (Waukesha, Wis.) plays a key role in setting up players to find the back of the net. Ciesielczyk recorded six assists over the streak and now has 31 in her career, ranking inside the top five in NACC history. Ciesielczyk also scored a game-winning goal with 38 seconds remaining in a 2-1 victory over Dominican.
3 – Three players scored their first career goal in a Falcons uniform over the past seven contests. Junior Krista Oelhafen (Allenton, Wis.), sophomore Abigail Freeland (Grafton, Wis.) and freshman McKenna Kowalski (Milwaukee, Wis.) all netted their first goals during the win streak.
2 – The Falcons defeated two opponents from the WIAC, matching how many wins they had against the league since the 2003 season. CUW also downed 2013 NCAA Tournament participant, St. Norbert College.
0.29 – Great goalkeeping was another key component to the Falcons winning ways. Sophomore Ariana Worthing (Saginaw, Mich.) and freshman Tabitha Ortiz (Plainfield, Ill.) split time at keeper over the seven matches. Ortiz saw four starts and did not allow a goal, making 11 saves in the process. Worthing posted a 0.67 goals against average, stopping 14 shots. The two keepers combined for five shutouts.
34 – While some players get more recognition at times, the Falcons streak was a team effort on a roster consisted of 34 players. These 34 student-athletes look to continue the strong tradition of CUW Women's Soccer as they try to build another impressive winning streak.
