The Iowa Falls-Alden girls soccer team will battle #12 (2A) Marion for the first time in the Bound era when the programs meet in a Class 2A Region 1 semifinal on Wednesday. The match will air on 104.9 KLMJ.
Iowa Falls-Alden (12-4) advanced with a 5-0 win over Wright County in a regional quarterfinal on home turf on Friday. Grace Hartford led the charge with three goals in the win. The Cadets’ defense also came in clutch, allowing only three shots on goal to stand for the shutout. On the season, Adessa Gillespie leads all scorers with 19 goals and adds 14 assists.
Head Coach Morgan Vierkandt on how Gillespie helps power the offense.
“Obviously our offense always starts and runs through Adessa Gillespie. She’s the leading goal scorer in the conference. She knows when she goes into every game that they’re going to have a focal point on her. She does a very good job of assisting all the other young girls,” says Vierkandt. “A goal that Grace had was just a beautiful one from Adessa, with a beautiful finish by Grace. To go out there and just kind of spray the ball around, get everybody involved, get all the young girls out there running for the balls. It’s really nice to have them get going that way.”
Goalkeeper Abigail Janssen has a save rate of 78.7 percent with 16 goals allowed for the Cadets.
Marion (9-2-4) will play their first postseason match after receiving a first round bye. The Wolves concluded the regular season on Friday, May 16 with a 7-0 win over Central Dewitt. Maggie Utsinger leads the pack with 27 goals on the year. Goalkeeper Josephine Logan has a save rate of 92.7 percent with only nine goals allowed.
Pregame coverage will begin at 6:50 p.m. followed by the kickoff at 7:00. The winner will advance to face either #1 (2A) Waverly-Shell Rock or Decorah in a regional final on Friday.
