Late Surge Lifts Madonna Past HU in Season Opener

HUNTINGTON, Ind. - The Forester women's soccer team kicked off the 2025 season under first-year head coach Keaton Albert Saturday evening with visiting Madonna (1-0-1) spoiling the occasion by handing the hosts a 3-0 loss at King Stadium.

The two programs have met six times over the last decade, with HU's lone result coming in the form of a 2017 draw. Saturday's contest followed suit as another tough outing against the Crusaders, who were playing their second match of the season.

The opening half was a defensive battle, with neither side able to exploit the other. While the Foresters were the aggressors, holding an 8-3 shot advantage heading into intermission, they unfortunately weren't able to break through.

Momentum shifted in the 73rd minute when Marlena Ballnik bent a free kick from 30 yards out over the outstretched arms of Forester keeper Macie Sanders. That goal opened the floodgates, as Madonna tacked on two more scores in the next ten minutes to secure the win.

Despite the result, Huntington outshot the Crusaders 12-9 and earned eight corner kicks to Madonna's three. Sanders finished with four saves in the loss.

"It is always difficult to start a season off on a loss," said Albert. "Harder still is fighting the old lies, negativity and perception. And the worst of it is, it overshadows the massive growth of the team.

"We are not the team of the past; we are different. This is a learning opportunity for us to manage our perception, increase growth and fight again with even more resolve and production on the field. The story is just beginning."

The Foresters (0-1) are back in action on Wednesday when they travel to IU South Bend for a 5:00 p.m. matchup with the Titans.

The Huntington University Foresters compete in 18 intercollegiate sports for men and women. In the past decade, Huntington has produced 181 NAIA All-America honors and 631 All-America Scholar Athlete honors. Huntington University is a comprehensive Christian college of the liberal arts offering graduate and undergraduate programs in more than 70 academic concentrations. U.S. News & World Report ranks Huntington among the best colleges in the Midwest.