CHESTERFIELD, Mo. | NCAA Opening Round – Seventh-seeded McKendree University women’s soccer (16-5-1, 10-3-1 GLVC) entered its eighth-straight NCAA Division II National Tournament, the longest streak in the Great Lakes Valley Conference, outpacing the second-seeded Maryville Saints throughout the field but narrowly fell, 3-2, after a lengthy duel on Friday afternoon. The Bearcats put up the first goal for a lead in the first 20 minutes of action and then led again half-way through the second half but got knocked down through a late foul call allowing the Saints to tie and eventually put in the winner. McKendree recorded its ninth-straight campaign with 10-plus wins and 10th-straight winning season in conference play behind another trip to the national tournament. The Bearcats gear back up following the end of first semester and the holiday break for their spring season.
McKendree and Maryville, a rivaling pair of GLVC squads, went back and forth to begin the game as each owned chances in the box. The Bearcats paced the game through strong defense and the rejection of true forward action by the Saints. In the 20th minute, after multiple close chances by the Bearcats, senior forward and the conference’s offensive leader Anna Stiffler connected on another header but this time blasted it into the back of the net for the 1-0 lead. The dish-out came off a long cross into the box by sophomore midfielder Maggie Gleckler. The Bearcats held the 1-0 advantage going into the intermission stretch, putting up nine shots and earning two corners.
The second half saw a big push by the Saints with the host knotting the game in the 52nd minute during a flurry of action around goal. McKendree found a great response in the 65th minute as Gleckler collected the ball off a throw-in, firing it into goal to put the Bearcats back on top, deflating the Saints in the moment. Senior defender Maria Voss and senior midfielder Reagan Mauch added the assists on Gleckler’s goal. Shortly after, Maryville received a late foul call in their favor in the McKendree box which handed a penalty kick opportunity to the host. MU tied the game at 2-2 in the 73rd behind the PK. Maryville then added the winner in the 83rd to take the game.
McKendree battled through to the very end, pushing up field but could not add on another tying score to close out the year.
McKendree 2024 Program Feats (through 11/23/2024):
– 8th-straight NCAA Division II National Tournament berth (2020-21 spring campaign did not have a national tournament)
– 9th-straight double-digit win season
– 10th-straight winning conference season
– 10th-straight GLVC Tournament appearance
– Individual career records set for Goals, Points by Anna Stiffler (2020-24 / 58 Goals, 140 Points)
– GLVC Freshman of the Year – Maddie Mauch
– Five All-GLVC Selections – Anna Stiffler (First), Lena Higgins (Second), Katie Spotanski (Second), Maggie Gleckler (Third), Maria Voss (Third)
UP NEXT | Spring 2025
The spring schedule will be released following the new year.
Be sure to stay up-to-date by following McKendree Women’s Soccer on Instagram.
For more updates and information on Bearcat Athletics, please continue to visit McKBearcats.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
#BearcatsUnleashed #GLVCwsoc #D2wsoc
