Theune scores twice, helps lead Women's Soccer past Benedictine

LISLE, Ill. – Junior Jaclyn Theune scored her first two goals of the season in helping lead the Concordia University Women's Soccer team to a 5-1 win over Benedictine Saturday. The win moved the Falcons to 4-0-0 in Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference play.

Thenue (Oostburg, Wis.) returned to the Falcons lineup after missing the past three games due to injury and the timing could not have been better for her team. CUW was missing junior Emily Ciesielczyk (Waukesha, Wis.), the team's leader in assists, but the offense still proved it had plenty of punch in Saturday's important league win.

The two team's wasted no time getting on the scoreboard as three goals were recorded in the opening 8:18 of play. Freshman Halie Schieffer (Belgium, Wis.) netted her first goal of the season just 6:08 into play, giving the Falcons a 1-0 lead. Sophomore Faith Palmreuter (Frankenmuth, Mich.) assisted on the opening goal.

BU (2-9-1, 1-3-0 NACC) would answer just 54 seconds later as Paige Velez knotted the score at 1-1. Velez's header was assisted by Danielle Rohling and tied the match for a brief moment but CUW had an answer just 1:14 later. Theune was the player who answered, scoring off a pass from junior Krista Oelhafen (Allenton, Wis.) to give the Falcons the lead. Her goal would also go down as the game-winner.

From that point on it was all Falcons as they scored late in the first half and early in the second to open up a 4-1 advantage. Junior Carley Pfannerstill (Grafton, Wis.) gave CUW a 3-1 lead with just 1:39 remaining in the opening half on her 11th goal of the season off a pass from freshman McKenna Kowalski (Milwaukee, Wis.). Junior Brittany Klumpp (Rubicon, Wis.) then put the Falcons up three on her team-leading 13th goal of the year. Klumpp's score was assisted by Schieffer, as the sophomore finished with a career-best three points.

Theune would put the finishing touches on the Eagles at the 57:34 mark when she recorded an unassisted goal. It was the second time she has scored two goals in a match, the last coming during her freshman season in a 12-0 win over Maranatha.

Freshman Tabitha Ortiz (Plainfield, Ill.) ran her record to 5-2-0 with the win in net for the Falcons. She made three saves in the win. The Eagles goal snapped Ortiz's streak without allowing a goal, one that reached an impressive 368:08. Her counterpart, Amanda Lozada finished with 12 saves.

CUW once again controlled possession, outshooting the Eagles 26-7. The Falcons finished with 17 shots on net and were paced by Pfannerstill, who totaled a match-best 10. Freshman Breanne Thomas (Oconomowoc, Wis.) added four shots for the Falcons.

CUW will return to action Wednesday when they visit Carroll in non-conference play. The match between the Falcons and Pioneers is set for a 7 p.m. start.