Pride suffer first loss in Heart play with 2-0 result at Benedictine

ATCHISON, Kan. - Getting their first action away from home since Oct. 2, the Clarke University women's soccer team suffered their first Heart of America Athletic Conference loss of the 2024 season in a 2-0 defeat to Benedictine College on Friday night.

The scoring from the Ravens came in the first half as they put away a pair of breakaways against CU keeper Faith Krapfl with the first coming from Jenna Wilken as she was able to dribble around Krapfl, couldn't recollect herself before Clarke's goalie and defense recovered, but that did not matter as she was able to loft a shot inside of the right post to make it 1-0 in the ninth minute of the game.

Almost exactly 20 minutes of game time later, Payton Vogelbacher scored off of an assist from Wilken, who fed Vogelbacher behind the defense for a tap in goal for the two sophomores to record their seventh and fifth goals of the season respectively.

The Pride were held scoreless for the first time in nearly a month when they earned a 0-0 draw against Missouri Valley College on Sept. 21 as CU was only able to put two shots on goal one each from Emily Marino and Brie Cote for Benedictine goalie Mackenzie Korzenecki to need to make saves as she stopped one shot in each half. Three other Clarke field players were credited with shots in the game as Bailey Wiemann took three and both Jayden Black and Melony Jimenez were each credited with a shot apiece.

Clarke women's soccer will return home for two games on Burrows Field next week, starting with a Tuesday night matchup against Mount Mercy University on Oct. 22 with the Pride and Mustangs scheduled for a 5:00 p.m. CT kickoff.