Women’s Soccer

Looking back we couldn’t have asked any more of our team. Sometimes the ball just doesn’t bounce your way. This week has been one of the most enjoyable experiences in our time at CU, and is one that we will never forget.  After the game we talked about how it is the memories, the tears, the friendships, and the laughs along the way that we will remember most…This week we have shared a ton of laughs. From the coaching staff rapping, to Grant’s half-time talk in the women’s bathroom, to the team Steak ‘n Shake trip we have definitely left our mark on the state of Alabama.

We want to thank all of you for your support this season. Thank you to all our friends and family who took this journey with us. Your love and support helped to make this season special. Knowing so many of you were watching and cheering for us made us want to play that much harder. Thank you for being there when the tears wouldn’t stop pouring out, for the laughs, for the constant encouragement, and most of all for making our experience at Concordia unforgettable.

Although we are moving on from soccer at Concordia, we know the program will continue to be one of the best in the nation because of all the hard work and dedication the coaching staff and the girls put into it. Training starts Monday for the alumni game!

-Carli, Georgie and Jessi

I am so proud of how this team has come together this year.   The seniors were our driving force and did an absolute fabulous job as team captains.   Our sophomores and juniors stepped up their play to another level.  And our freshmen stepped in and embraced any role that I asked of them to help us be successful. 

I am disappointed in the result tonight but not with our effort.  We controlled much of the second half against the defending national champions.   With only three seniors, our young team gained valuable experience this year that will help them down the road. 

It has been an absolute pleasure to have coached Carli Godard, Jessi Ramback and Georgie Chirstensen.    These are three very special people who I know will be successful in any career they choose.  I have so much respect for the way they carried themselves and the time they spent helping lead this team. 

I want to thank all the parents and staff that traveled with us this year to Decatur and helped make this such a special week for our team.   While we were here to win a national championship, I also wanted them to have an experience that they would never forget.   This was a great group to travel with, and we will all take fond memories of our trip to the South. 

Grant Landy

Our women’s soccer team might be 2500 miles away but when it comes to game time, our cafeteria fills up with students, faculty, staff, and family as if it was the stands. With so much going on at school, being dead week and all, it is very hard to find time to sit down and watch a game. Yet, our whole campus has found a way to somehow move things around to support our women. In a way, in this crazy time, our women’s soccer team and their adventure have brought a very busy university together. We sit side by side all tense, waiting for the next move (sometimes with the mud we have to wait longer). People get up and yell as referees make bad calls. We cheer when we get corners, when we win headers, when we get into tackles, when we make diving saves. Hugs and high fives fly as the ball finds the back of the net. No one moved an inch after we got scored on in the round of 16. We all believed, cheering and yelling louder. When it comes to halftime and we get to send the girls a video, everyone stands up and cheers as loud as they can, giving me Goosebumps. I know the girls are very excited about reaching the final four but that excitement is also here in Portland, Oregon. It is a very exciting time to be a student at Concordia University. There is a buzz around campus, as most conversations in one way or another bring up the women’s soccer team and what the score was, who scored, or when the next game is. Grant Landy and his staff have done an amazing job with these ladies, and everyone can tell by watching their work ethic in that Cal Baptist game that they want it bad. These young women are not playing for themselves, they are playing for the team, and they are playing for our whole school. They are playing for Concordia University, home of the Cavaliers. –Good Luck girls!!

 -Facundo

[Facundo Dipascuale is a sophomore on the Concordia men’s soccer team]

As we all crawled out of bed this morning, we managed to make it downstairs by 9 a.m. for a short practice.  As sore and tired as we may all have been we knew it would be a good thing to get out and move our legs a little bit. We had to get up earlier than normal (yes 8:30 is early for us) because we had a day packed full of enjoyable excursions planned.

We pulled into the parking lot of the Jack Allen Complex and there was a collective choir of, “Oh My Gosh” as we drove past the field that we “played” on yesterday. Needless to say it was no longer a grass field, but actually a rectangle of mud. We were all still amazed that we had played a game in those conditions. The brisk Alabama air woke us up as we hopped out of the vans and walked to our practice field.  You may not imagine, but it has been getting chilly here at night, and as was explained to us on our tour of the old historic bank later in the afternoon, that one of the differences between northern Alabama and southern Alabama are the chilly temperatures that arrive at night because of the Appalachian mountains just east of Decatur. We did some jogging and stretching and were reminded that we had made it to the absolute last practice of the year, and then headed back to the hotel to get ready for the final four banquet.

At the final four banquet we had a home cooked meal from one of the famous barbeque places down here, Big Bob Gibson’s. We were informed that it has been featured many times on Good Morning America, and was featured in today’s TLC show Pit Masters. I think we will have had our fill of barbeque for a while, although it has been delicious. Grant did a great job of recognizing some of the people in our “family” as we like to call it, which don’t usually get credit, Robyn Neimann, Chase Lane, Carli Godard, Tori Talbutt, Kylie Marshall, and Shelby Bloodworth, just to name a few. All of theses ladies have helped us in so many ways that many people probably don’t even know, and never get the recognition they deserve. After the allotted amount of pictures were taken (fun fact: our team loves pictures, and yes, we were the last team to leave) we headed back to the hotel for some down time. Some girls headed on our daily Starbucks run and then we departed for the The Old State Bank.

The bank was opened especially for us, which we really appreciated, and we were able to learn a lot about the history of Decatur. The bank was owned by the state and was the only building that survived a fire in Decatur during the Civil War. It is the oldest Bank in Alabama, and was one of the first state banks established by President Andrew Jackson. The cashier of the bank had to live on the premises so the bank also doubled as a residence for him. We were all able to go inside the vault, which was actually relatively small, and was rumored to have doubled as an operating room during the Civil War.

After the bank, we were all ready for some good southern cooking and that is exactly what we received when we went to the Limestone Bay Trading Co. in Mooresville, AL for dinner. This is an old general store, which the owners have turned into a small restaurant, which was again opened just for us. They are only open 8a-2p usually. They cooked us a wonderfully delicious meal of green beans, corn, chicken casserole, mac and cheese, and corn bread. It was probably one of the best meals I’ve ever had (sorry mom), and I know many girls would probably agree with me. I saw many of them going back for seconds. To top off the delicious meal, we had a scrumptious dessert (that Grant allowed us to eat) of Creamsicle Cheesecake. I know we will all sleep well tonight after such a delectable home cooked meal.

Some of us watched the Civil War back in the hotel lobby. Duck fans were in the majority as all of our coaching staff is from Eugene, and the disciplined girls worked on their homework. During this whole day I know that our game tomorrow has been in the back of all of our minds. We know that we are so fortunate to have been able to do all of the stuff we did today, and it wouldn’t have been possible without AJ [Amy Jackson], our assistant coach who arranged everything, and Jeff Baxter who helped fund it, but now it is time for Lee. All of the returners have the same feeling about Lee as we did about Cal Baptist. They want revenge for last year, and I know that I speak for all of the freshmen when I say we all want to help them get it.  As we lay down tonight I know we will wake up tomorrow morning ready to go, and are so happy to have all of you that support us right behind.

-Alex

Women’s Soccer Championship Links

Concordia Watch Party - ALL friends, family and fans are invited to join the CU community on campus for the live watch party at 4pm pacific on Friday!  Follow the link for details.

Live Stats and Video

NAIA Championship Bracket

Oregonian Quarterfinals Recap (#6 Concordia vs. #3 Cal Baptist)

Oregonian Second Round Recap (#6 Concordia vs. #11 McKendree)

NAIA Quarterfinals Recap

No. 6 Concordia vs. No. 2 Lee (Tenn.)

Lee has a really good team. They don’t have any real holes at any position. They have 10-11 seniors that have played deep into the tournament before so they are an extremely experienced group. They have a trio of good 1-versus-1 players with great overall pace so we will have to bring a solid defense

I think we have the youngest team in the tournament, but I certainly felt like we had a chance to win it all when we started. We are going to approach tomorrow’s game like all the others. We are going up against the defending national champions and they knocked us out last year so there is no shortage of motivation on our side to get redemption. That being said, it’s always tough to repeat a title.

It will take our best effort tomorrow, but we have shown that we have the capability. Egos go out the door and everyone has stayed focused on what they have to do.

No. 4 Azusa Pacific (Calif.) vs. Point Loma (Calif.)

Azusa has a ton of athleticism with players that have come from top-notch club programs. They have a tradition of winning and play in the toughest conference in the country so they are challenged week in and week out. I think personnel wise they have had the best players over the past few seasons but that doesn’t always translate.

As for Point Loma, I don’t know much about them but they are on a roll to begin this tournament. We have said frequently that you don’t have to be the best team throughout the season just the best throughout the championship week. They are playing with a lot of confidence and you can never count those teams out. I know that they have an outstanding goalkeeper so it’s going to very difficult for any team to score goals on them.

I expect a tight game. It’s a hard win to predict as they are quite familiar with each other. One team brings a wealth of experience in these types of games while the other is sort of the wildcard that has become hot at the right time.

Ever since Cal Baptist came to our home field on September 19, beating us in our whites, crushing our then perfect record, we’ve played every game with the motivation of meeting up with them again in the national tournament. That day finally arrived and we were ready to prove what our team was truly capable of doing on the field.

The night before the game, there was speculation about whether or not we would actually play due to monsoon-like weather. Grant [Landy] told us to prepare as if the game was still on and go about our normal pre-game routines. We woke up this morning to find that the driving rain had hit and turned the field into a mud swamp, but officials decided to continue as scheduled, despite the harsh conditions.

At the hotel, we gathered as a team for our pre-game meeting. Grant gave his speech and emphasized how this game, tactics aside, would be won by the team with the most heart and the greatest will.  Looking at each of our teammates, we knew we were that team. We had put so much into the past four months and nothing, not even a little (or a lot) of mud, was going to stand in our way.

One of our senior captains, Georgie [Christensen], motivated the team by saying, “Last game they may have won the battle, but today we will win the war.” We all knew it was true. It was our time to prove it.

We arrived at the game field, iPods blasting and ready to fight through the challenges we were about to face. Our goalkeepers set the tone in warm-ups with their first dives into the mud and there was no looking back. Tori [Talbutt] looked like the swamp creature with not a single clean spot on her body. Her enthusiasm, even caked in mud, was a reminder that we were working for our “family”. We knew it was going to come down to a team effort today, with everyone giving everything they had for each other.

The whistle blew to start the match and immediately we realized how much the conditions were going to change the whole dynamics of the game. It was not going to be a pretty game of soccer, but a gritty and grueling 90 minutes. Soon everyone was soaked head to foot and with dirt in places that dirt should NEVER be. The war had begun.

For most of the first half it was pretty even with both teams having dangerous chances on goal. But with seconds to spare, Alex [Thomas] fought through their defensive line to keep a ball in play and found Jessi (Ramback] across the goal who punched the ball into the net to give us the lead.

After Grant’s halftime talk, Tina [Garcia] showed us a video of the support back on campus, cheering us on. We were thankful to all the students, staff and family from home, giving us the extra motivation we needed to fuel us for the rest of the game.

Taking that momentum into the second half, we knew we couldn’t let up. We took care of the little things, winning the 50-50s, making the extra tackles and making sure we were the team reaching for that “extra inch”. It showed as Cal Baptist started getting tired and we put two more goals away, depleting them of any hope.

It took a group effort from the players on the field and those cheering on the bench to accomplish what we did today. Despite the conditions, we didn’t allow that to be an excuse.

The best part was the feeling once the final whistle blew and we knew we were advancing to the Final Four. Already muddy and badly in need of a shower, we decided to take one last victory slide over to thank the parents and fans that came all the way out to support us. All in all, we know this team is a special group of girls and we feel confident and prepared for whatever comes our way next.

– Kaitlyn and Jackie

Before the tournament began, I challenged our team to be the most unified and hardest working team at the tournament.  Most of us witnessed that today against Cal Baptist. 

Despite field conditions that were less than favorable, our team did an excellent job adapting and overcoming the challenges of the surface.   The players did a great job at halftime acknowledging their issues and making the necessary changes. 

Getting that goal right before half was so critical in today’s result.   This has been a hallmark of this year’s team, playing out both halves to the final whistle.   

While neither team wanted to be playing in those conditions, I don’t think the field would have made any difference today in the final outcome.  Our team was focused on avenging that early-season loss at home to the Lancers.  I could sense it last night in the way they talked about the game, and today, they came out fighting for everything.  We had something to prove, and weren’t going to let this opportunity slip away. 

We are looking forward to a day off tomorrow, enjoying the Final Four banquet and then touring some Decatur landmarks in the afternoon.   We are also excited about viewing the Civil War football game as a group. 

Next up is Lee University on Friday night.   Lee defeated our team in the national final last year, so I know the team will be ready for the challenge. 

We continue to get great leadership and play from our older group, while the freshmen players continue to play well beyond their years in this tournament.   It has been fun to see this group come fully together at the right time. 

Grant Landy

The alarm went off at 9 a.m. and gameday was finally here. The girls and I made our usual Starbucks run with our pilot Matt [English] behind the wheel. After coffee, it seemed like the longest two hours of my life. Waiting patiently in my room with the other seniors, the atmosphere can only be characterized as intense. Jenn Hart [CU soccer alum], our famous pre-game speaker from a few years back, provided the girls with a four minute voicemail that helped set the tone for the game.

Our warm-up was sharp and everyone was dialed into the task at hand. The game field was pretty torn up from the rain and the games from the day before, so that was a challenge we knew we were going to have to overcome. As we walked onto the field in our white jerseys my heart was beating one million miles an hour. The first game in Alabama was about to start, and it was what we have been working for all year long.

We came out strong in the first half and got some great looks on goal, but their keeper came up with big saves throughout the entire game. We were doing everything that we wanted to, except for putting the ball in the back of the net. Even though we were tied 0-0 at halftime, I had faith in my team that we could finish the job.

The second half was very similar to the first, hitting post after post, crossbar after crossbar. McKendree capitalized on a breakaway and we ended up going one goal down. But if this team has proven anything this season it is that we know how to come from behind. With two minutes left in the game [Kaitlyn] Tebbs ripped the ball in the back of the net to send us into overtime.

Before that first overtime you could feel the desire and the passion radiating from our circle. We just needed to keep that momentum for the next 10 minutes so we could finish the game with a win. We ended up scoring five minutes into the overtime to come out victorious over our opponents. This game was a great lesson for the new players as well as the returners. Once you get to the national tournament, anything can happen. At the end of the day the team who wants the game more, who is willing to put everything they have on the line, is going to win.

After the game we threw a surprise birthday party in one of the rooms for our three birthday girls; Robyn [Neimann], [Kaitlyn] Tebbs, and Georgie [Christensen]. I think the win was the birthday present they wished for! Now it is off to bed, because tomorrow we have to get up and do it all over again!

-Jess

What would nationals be without overtime games for the Navy and White!  In 22 national tournament games over the past nine years, we have been into overtime in nine games during that span.  In those nine games, the Cavs are 7-0-2, with our two ties being knockouts in penalty kicks. 

The team was resilient today in scoring the tying goal with two minutes left and adding the overtime goal five minutes later.  I truly believe our tough schedule this year which included overtime wins and comebacks helped us believe we are never out until the 90 minutes are over.   

Hopefully we can take this momentum and use it tomorrow against Cal Baptist.   As most of you know, they beat us earlier in the year at home.   We talked after that game about how we would work hard to make it to nationals to have a chance to play them again.   That time has come. 

Playing back-to-back games at the national tournament is always a challenge.   Tomorrow, we will have to have a gritty, gutsy performance and will have to push through some fatigue to get the result we want.  Our team is excited about the challenge that tomorrow presents. 

Grant Landy