Jimmie women's soccer departs for Sioux City

uj womens soccer ms australia — University of Jamestown women's soccer player Gaby Sarkis is interviewed by The Sun prior to the Jimmies departing for Sioux City, Iowa, on Monday, April 4, 2021. Jamestown plays Briar Cliff University on Tuesday in the semifinals of the GPAC women's soccer tournament in Sioux City. John M. Steiner / The Sun

By Michael Savaloja

April 05, 2021 at 8:17 PM

Primarily a holding midfielder before arriving at the start of the spring semester, it didn't take Australian freshman Gaby Sarkis long to make a name for herself as an attacker for the University of Jamestown.

Sarkis sent three balls into the mesh in her first collegiate match -- an 8-0 romp at Presentation College on March 17 -- helping to reinvigorate the Jimmies ahead of this month's Great Plains Athletic Conference tournament, which was rescheduled from fall to spring due to COVID-19.

The Jimmies sat idle for 120 days before resuming its season with a road trip to Indiana in early March. Sarkis' first-ever hat trick followed back-to-back losses to Indiana University East and Marian University.

"It was really cool. It was kind of unexpected," said Sarkis, who wasn't yet eligible to compete with the Jimmies in Indiana. "I got to watch the team play and I think it helped a lot.

"I obviously hadn't seen them play, only on video, so seeing them play in real life and seeing how they react to things, it was really interesting to see how they gelled together and how I could fit into that."

The Jimmies toppled Hastings College 2-1 in the GPAC quarterfinals last Saturday in Hastings and now have their sights set on 18th-ranked Briar Cliff University in tomorrow's semifinal round. The Jimmies and the Chargers get underway at 1 p.m. in Sioux City, Iowa.

University of Jamestown women's soccer coach Nick Becker had no qualms over slotting Sarkis in at attacking midfielder right out of the chute. Former Jimmies' assistant Jack Hartley discovered the New South Wales native at the 2019 Surf Cup in San Diego, California, where the Jimmies have plucked plenty of talent in the past.

"We knew she was a good player coming in. But on a new team, where do you fit coming in?" Becker explained. "First college game she scores three goals. So we kinda saw what she could do, but she's gotta hopefully get her way into the team a little bit more and find the best spot for her on the field."

uj womens soccer coach nick — University of Jamestown women's soccer coach Nick Becker

The Jimmies (12-7) currently have a handful of athletes playing through minor injuries, with Sarkis and captain Kamryn Fiscus being two. Both were limited Saturday at Hastings, with Fiscus, the team leader in goals (10) and assists (10), pacing the team with six shots.

The Jimmies' lineup has remained largely the same from fall to spring, notably losing senior forward Kirstyn Aldrige to education commitments. Sophomore midfielder Cassandra Diaz, who didn't play in the fall, has been moved into a starting role along with Sarkis, and freshman back Aubree Gessel (1 goal) is also new to the fray.

Briar Cliff (12-1-2) has allowed just five goals all season, but goalkeeper Ruby Campa (45 saves, 90% save percentage) surrendered one to UJ junior forward Claire Struble in a 3-1 victory over the Jimmies in Sioux City back on Oct. 31.

The Jimmies matched the Chargers in shots on goal at 5-5.

"We're gonna have to be mobile," said Struble, who has scored seven goals this season. "Move a lot and get the ball off of our foot quick.

"They're fast and they like to put the ball past us, so we're going to have to be aware of that."

uj womens soccer player two — University of Jamestown women's soccer player Claire Struble is interviewed by The Sun prior to the Jimmies departing for Sioux City, Iowa, on Monday, April 4, 2021. Jamestown plays Briar Cliff University on Tuesday in the semifinals of the GPAC women's soccer tournament in Sioux City. John M. Steiner / The Sun

A majority of what BC likes to do offensively flows through senior forward Flor Suarez, who has tallied an impressive 15 goals and six assists on the season. Suarez, however, didn't factor into the Chargers' 4-1 quarterfinal victory Saturday against Dordt.

Freshman midfielder Hannah Shuttleworth tallied twice for the Chargers. Briar Cliff switched head coaches this spring, as Clark Charlestin has taken over for Paul Cox.

"I think they are probably the one team that played similar style-wise to us, and so I think we're real comparable," Becker said. "They've got a good team coming back, but as long as we do our job we'll be OK.

"If we shut their attack down, I think we've got a couple goals in us."

Backs Autumn Opperud and Penelope Hoppe scored UJ's goals Saturday against the Broncos out of UJ's new 4-4-2 diamond formation.

"I think our spirits are pretty up right now after that win," Struble said. "I think we're all pretty happy with ourselves, we just have to keep it that way."

Sarkis is looking forward to the match. The newer UJ addition was impressed with the team's postseason focus in Nebraska.

"When we played Hastings we had an attitude that I've never seen the girls have before," Sarkis said. "We were all so passionate and so, like, willing to put everything in, and I think if we can do that for the next couple of games we can go far."