Svjose tallies first goal in nine years

MADISON, Wis. - Talk about a lengthy scoring drought. Edgewood College women’s soccer player Erica Sjvose scored her first goal for the Eagles in nine years, when she tallied a first half goal against Concordia University Chicago on Saturday. She last scored as a freshman during the 2001 season.

Svjose, a Madison native and 2001 graduate of LaFollette High School, played for Edgewood College in 2001, scoring eight goals as the Eagles advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive season. She left school after that season and spent the next seven years working on a career, but the soccer bug never completely left her.

In 2009, Svjose (pronounced sa-VOICE) contacted head coach Tim Alexander and said she wanted to return to school. She told him she would come to Edgewood College if she could have the chance to play soccer again. Coach Alexander agreed and Svjose was back on the team in 2009 after eight years away from the school. Sjvose, now 27 years old, played in 15 games in 2009 and three this season, but never found the back of the net until Saturday.

In the 41st minute against the Cougars, Eagle freshman Sophie Rodriguez (who just turned 19 years old earlier this month) fired a shot that was knocked down on the goal line by a Cougar defender. The rebound landed on the foot of Svjose, who fired it home for her first goal in 3,264 days. She last scored on October 19, 2001 against MSOE. Svjose later added two assists to give her three for the season.

Svjose and the Eagles will return to action on Wednesday afternoon, with a non-conference match at Lawrence University in Appleton.

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