DETROIT -- The Wayne State University women's soccer squad (12-1-4 overall, 8-1-4) clinched the No. 1 seed for the GLIAC Tournament with a 4-1 triumph over Michigan Tech University (1-13-3 overall, 1-9-3 GLIAC) Thursday afternoon in a contest that was delayed more than 70 minutes in the second half due to lightning. With the victory, the Warriors have earned at least a share of the GLIAC regular-season title.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Half
WSU controlled most of the opening half recording an 11-1 edge in total shots attempted, and a 6-1 advantage in corner kicks, while scoring the lone goal in the ninth minute.
Freshman midfielder
Molly Labate (Clarkston, Mich.) took a short corner to classmate
Sienna Mroue (Dearborn, Mich.), who played the ball back to Labate. Labate earned her third assist of the season as her cross was headed in by freshman
Sabrina Gaul (Troy, Mich.). It was Gaul's second goal of the campaign, with Mroue notching her seventh helper.
Second Half
Wayne State extended its advantage to 2-0 in the 48th minute as Gaul kicked in the rebound of a Mroue corner kick. It marked Gaul's first collegiate multi-goal game, and Mroue's second assist of the match.
Less than nine minutes later, a corner kick by Mroue found the back of the net for her team-leading 11th goal of the season.
Graduate student
Mairin Wessner (Northville, Mich. [Dayton]) netted her eighth goal of the WSU's inaugural season less than two minutes after Mroue's goal. Freshman defender
Morgan Wilcox (Imlay City, Mich. /Lapeer) took a free kick which was deflected by junior
Jess Clyde (Ann Arbor, Mich. / Huron [Schoolcraft C.C.]) onto Wessner's left foot and she buried her shot into the left corner.
The visiting Huskies ended goalkeeper
Kate Helfen's (Troy, Mich. [Cincinnati]) bid for a shutout with a goal by Reilly Lovercheck with 3:23 remaining.
Wayne State held a 22-7 margin in shots attempted, including a 12-4 advantage in shots on goal. The Warriors took nine of the 12 corner kicks and the fouls were nearly even with MTU being whistled for eight fouls to WSU's seven.
GOALKEEPER INFORMATION
Helfen improved her record to 11-1-4 by making three saves on four shots by Michigan Tech.
MTU 'keeper Bri Barrows was credited with eight saves.
UP NEXT
Wayne State will conclude the regular season with a home match on Saturday vs. Ferris State. Stay tuned to WSUAthletics.com as the match time will be changed to an earlier start from the original 4 PM kickoff.
