Hesston boots Pratt 3-1; now 8-3

Mikaela Zook scores a goal in a Sept. 15 game.

The Hesston College women’s soccer team downed Pratt (Kan.) CC 3-1 on Tuesday, Sept. 22, improving its season mark to 8-3.

In the 28th minute Allison Ebersole (Boulder, Colo.) connected with Mikaela Zook (Millersburg, Ind.) on a beautiful crossing pass to setup the game’s first goal and Zook’s 14th of the year.
Hesston controlled much of the first-half action and went to the break with a 1-0 lead and a 4-to-1 advantage in shots-on-goal.

With the Larks in control and seemingly headed for a shutout win, Pratt snuck in a goal to pull even at 1-1 with 17 minutes to play. Hesston responded less than two minutes later when Mika Matsuda (Kyoto, Japan) found the back of the net to bring the home crowd to its feet. Machi Kanematsu (Osaka, Japan) added a late goal in the closing seconds to set the final score.

Hesston Women’s Soccer is closing in on the season wins record (9 wins by the 2012 team) with nine games remaining.

Zook, meanwhile, continues her assault on the Hesston College record books, as the sophomore is now second in career goals scored (19) and tied 1st for goals in a season. Zook is three goals short of the all-time career goals mark of 22, held by current Larks assistant Megan Schrock (2007-08).

The Larks, 5-2 in Region VI play, host Tabor College JV (Hillsboro, Kan.) for a 5 p.m. match on Friday, Sept. 25 as part of the college’s homecoming weekend celebration.