The Truman women’s soccer team ended its 2009 regular season on a positive note with a key 2-0 MIAA conference victory at Emporia State on Thursday afternoon. Seniors Riley Mahn and Isabel Gaeta scored for the Bulldogs.

Mahn picked up her fifth goal of the season in the 24th minute, heading in a Kelsey Twellman cross to give the Bulldogs (14-3-3, 13-2-1 MIAA) a 1-0 lead. The teams remained separated by just one goal until the 52nd minute when Gaeta notched her third goal of the year off a centered pass by Megan Buri. The assists were the fifth of the season for both Twellman and Buri.

Seven players came off the bench for Truman, headlined by Kristin Haluszczak, who competed in her 85th career match which tied her for the program-high. Also entering the match late was senior forward Jessica Wiegert, who checked in during the 79th minute for her first action since the team’s season-opener against Drury. Wiegert has scored 27 career goals and is seventh all-time in goals and points at Truman.

Truman took 15 shots and held ESU (1-16-1, 1-14 MIAA) to just one attempt in the match. The Bulldogs also added seven corner kicks.

After being saddled with a loss and a draw in its previous two contests, the Bulldogs shut out an opponent for the 13th time this season, tying the number for the third-most shutouts in program history. Alison Taylor got her second straight start in goal and made one save.

The Bulldogs finished the conference season with 40 points and can clinch a share of the title with Nebraska-Omaha if the Mavericks go 1-1 this week at Southwest Baptist and at Central Missouri. Truman can also win the conference outright and secure the MIAA’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament if UNO picks up fewer than three points.

Currently sitting fifth in the South Central region, the Bulldogs will learn their post-season fate on Monday, Nov. 9 at 6 pm (Central) when the NCAA releases the 2009 bracket through a Web cast on NCAA.com.

Courtesy Truman State University