No. 3 Marian Topples No. 6 Indiana Wesleyan 1-0 to Clinch Share of CL Crown

INDIANAPOLIS - Holding scoreless until the 53rd minute, Katie Koger delivered a championship-clinching goal on Saturday afternoon, helping lift Marian to a 1-0 victory over No. 6 Indiana Wesleyan. Marian's win over the Wildcats clinches a share of Marian's fifth Crossroads League Regular Season Championship, setting Marian's record on the season at 15-0-1 while improving to a league-best 7-0-1 CL mark.

The Knights started a one-sided first half strong on Saturday afternoon, ripping the game's first shot in the 10th minute on a blast from Katie Koger. The senior's shot would be saved from the Wildcats' keeper, Avery Sluss, and transitioned into a period of success for the IWU offense, as Sydney Couch managed to take two shots against the Knights, both of which missed wide of the net.

The Wildcats would take the game's next shot on target before Marian ramped up their offense once more, with the effort from Katelyn Vanderark being denied by Lily Ames in the 24th minute. Olivia Parmer and Koger each took cracks on scoring before the 35th minute, but each look would miss wide of the target. A series of corner kicks would lead to another burst of offense for Marian, as the team took three shots in the final 10 minutes of the first half. Allie Tredway had the lone look on target, but was unable to get the ball past Sluss in goal. The game would go into halftime at a 0-0 count, with Marian unable to muster a shot on a late corner kick from Kiley Jones.

In the second half, Marian took over from the opening kick, winning two corner kicks in the first three minutes of play. Allie Tredway again would merit a shot on goal at the top of the 49th minute, but could not convert her look as Sluss made the save. Continuing to press the back of the Wildcat defense, Katie Koger found a crack of daylight in the 53rd minute, weaving through four Indiana Wesleyan defenders inside the final 18, delivering a right-footed blast by the outstretched arms of Sluss to deliver the game's first goal.

Koger's goal gave Marian a 1-0 lead, changing the tactics for the Knights as the team played more defensively over the final 37 minutes. Ames came up with two saves in the ensuing three minutes following Koger's goal, and denied another look in the 63rd minute as Marian aimed to secure the win. The Knights would get counter opportunities as the game progressed, using the clock to their advantage as Jones set up multiple corner kicks in the last 25 minutes. The Wildcats managed one last-ditch effort to try and tie the match in the final five minutes, but their pair of shots, including one at the horn, were denied by Marian's defense, securing a 1-0 win over Indiana Wesleyan.

Lily Ames had one of her best days in goal on the season, making five saves in the full-90 victory. Ames moved to 14-0-1 on the season in goal for the Knights. 

Koger finished the day with six shot attempts and Marian's lone goal, ripping three looks on goal. Olivia Parmer and Allie Tredway finished with three shots each, while Taylor Wert and Laney Harshany each took one shot attempt. Cecelia Kostick, Marian Corro Celma, Jordan Love, and Kiley Jones each played a role late in helping Ames preserve the shutout, as Marian's back row controlled possession late to seal a Knights win. 

Marian's win over Indiana Wesleyan secures a share of the fifth-ever Crossroads League Regular Season Championship, the first for the Knights since 2022. Marian locked up the one seed in the Crossroads League Tournament with the win, now having the tiebreaker of head-to-head against the Wildcats, and will have home field advantage throughout the first stage of the postseason. 

The Knights finish the regular season on Wednesday, October 29, at 7:00 p.m. in Fort Wayne against Saint Francis. 

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