BY MARY RINGWALD, SPORTS EDITOR
Two Bellarmine women’s soccer players made breaking records seem easy in their game against Lewis University on Sept. 16 at Owsley B. Frazier Stadium.
In the first overtime, senior midfielder Lauren Holder sent a ball to senior forward Mary Beth Gorham to propel the No. 25 Knights to a 2-1 Great Lakes Valley Conference victory and shatter two school records in the process.
Gorham is the Knights’ all-time career leader in goals with 40, and Holder is the new all-time career leader in assists with 17. It was the ninth time Holder posted an assist on a Gorham goal.
“It is kind of amazing,” head coach Chris Tinius said. “It is not amazing that either one of them has gotten the record because they are both really good players, and they deserve that. It is pretty amazing to think over two four-year careers that both of those (records) would have happened on the same day at the same time.”
The pair has always worked well together and their chemistry only improved as they entered their senior seasons.
Gorham said how they both have developed as players is almost unbelievable because of how quickly time has passed since they started playing at Bellarmine.
“Having her by my side has been really cool,” Gorham said. “She is really scrappy, very dynamic, and she is the girl you want in the middle of the field. If you are on the other team, she is the girl you don’t want to keep in the game. If she is working hard and doing the things she needs to do, she is unstoppable.”
Holder said she enjoys assisting someone as good as Gorham because she never imagined she would come to college to play with someone as good and humble as her.
“I like having the spotlight on them and not me,” said Holder. “I feel like Mary Beth is perfect for goals, and I am happy that I can assist her and my other teammates.”
Senior co-captain and goalkeeper Hannah Poteet said she could not be happier for her teammates’ success over the past few years on and off the field, and she hopes that it will continue throughout the season.
“As a goalkeeper, I am able to see the entire field and watch the magic happen between Mary Beth and Lauren,” Poteet said. “Not only are they great players on the field, but Bellarmine is lucky to have such amazing and kind-hearted people off the field. They are the individuals who have made a giant mark on Bellarmine women’s soccer history, and I couldn’t be more proud of them.”
Holder, Gorham and the Knights are back in action on Oct. 7 against Rockhurst University at Owsley B. Frazier Stadium.