Box Score With four goals in an 18-minute span, The Master's University women's soccer team earned their spot in the GSAC Championship Finals with a 4-1 win over the No. 23 Hope International Royals at Reese Field in Santa Clarita, Calif. Friday afternoon.
The Mustangs performed big in front of a packed home crowd, tallying a total of 28 shots and 18 shots on goal versus the four shots the Royals had.
But the Royals struck first with a long shot late in the first half, something TMU Head Coach Esteban Chavez did not want his team to worry about.
"We were down 0-1, but it was 11 shots to two." Coach Chavez said about the first half. "We were in a good rhythm and, of course, you don't win games by taking more shots, you gotta score goals… I told them that if they continue to play the way they're playing but capitalize on the opportunities, we're gonna have a good chance to win and I'm proud we did so right away."
And capitalize they did, as the Mustangs tallied four goals in 13 shots in 18 minutes.
Freshman midfielder Kegan Brunneman opened the scoring for the Mustangs with a goal through a crowd of players in front of the Royals net.
A little over five minutes later, senior midfielder Hannah Kopp received a pass from freshman defender Bryanna Elias and beat the goalkeeper to give the Mustangs the lead.
Less than two minutes later, Brunnemann doubled the Mustangs lead with her second goal of the game, receiving a pass from freshman defender Sasha Redshaw.
And 11 minutes later, an impressive pass from junior forward Sinclair Francescon allowed GSAC Freshman of the Year Breanna Fajardo to dance around the Royals goalkeeper to put in the final goal of the game.
"I'm ultra impressed with the girls." Coach Chavez said about his team's effort. "I think this is by far the best game of the season and it was against an outstanding team."
In the end, their effort was what allowed the Mustangs to outperform the No. 23 team in the nation.
"Hope International is an outstanding team, they're very talented and well coached." Coach Chavez said about the Royals. "You let them get into a rhythm, they're very dangerous… we're able to completely take over the game… by being very responsible with our duties, by being organized and by being disciplined."
The Master's is now 15-3-1 overall in 2024. It is the first time the team has won 15 games in a season since 2017.
The Mustangs will travel to Prescott, Ariz. to play the No. 15 Embry-Riddle Eagles in the GSAC Women's Soccer Tournament Championship game on Wednesday. The Eagles defeated the OUAZ Spirit 1-0 in the other semifinal to advance to the championship game.
