By Jacob Plecker. LOUISVILLE, Ky. – In the final road game of the 2023 season, the App State Mountaineers (12-4, 5-1 MAC) flew the flag over the No. 8 Louisville Cardinals (12-5, 2-3 ACC) in shootout fashion on Oct. 22. The win marks the highest ranked win in program history, the first win ever against a top-10 opponent and the first win over an ACC opponent since 1999.
With the shootout period tied at two goals apiece heading into App State’s final attempt, freshman Florine Koopman calmly addressed the ball and made her way into the circle where she slapped the ball past the Cardinal keeper and sent the App State faithful into a frenzy. Koopman’s game-winning goal in the shootout gave App State its second consecutive shootout win.
It was an incredible defensive display put on by the Mountaineer defensive unit at Trager Stadium on Sunday, limiting Louisville to just one goal in regulation and stopping all 15 Cardinal corner chances. Fifth-year goalkeeper Addie Clark saved an impressive 12 shots in the game and held Louisville to just two goals in the shootout.
“Beating Louisville on their home turf on their senior day is a crazy feeling,” senior defender Grace Ball said. “We knew we had to come in and give it our all. We needed to slow them down and play together and that’s what we did. It’s a great feeling to come out on top.”
Having already clinched a spot in the MAC Tournament with their win on Friday against Ball State, the Mountaineers and head coach Emily Dinsmore now have 12 wins on the year. The 12 wins for Dinsmore in her first season at the helm ties Mountaineer legend Jan Watson’s record for wins by an App State first-year head coach. Dinsmore’s first chance to break that record will come on Friday at home against the Ohio Bobcats.
“All the credit goes to the girls for this win,” Dinsmore said. “They fought to the very end and withstood corner after corner. I knew that if we could get to shootouts we would win this game. It’s so exciting and I’m so happy for the group.”
