Record-Setting Season Leads Maryville Into NCAA Tournament

As a coach, you know your team is clicking when all of the preseason goals have been met by midseason. That was the scenario facing Maryville’s first-year coach Melissa Gyllenborg following a four-game road trip in mid-March.

After winning four games in six days, including the program’s first-ever victory over a Top 20 opponent, the Saints returned to their St. Louis campus on March 19 with a 10-0 mark, having easily smashed the school record for longest winning streak. In fact, the 10 wins matched the total number of victories Maryville’s fifth-year program had amassed through its first four seasons combined.

“The first goal was to be over .500 for the season and to create opportunities to do that,” Gyllenborg said. “Reaching all our goals so quickly was a bit of ignorant bliss.”

It's not that Gyllenborg, who took over as head coach last summer after eight years at league rival McKendree, didn’t realize Maryville’s potential. She had seen the talent and possibilities from an opponent’s viewpoint and knew during fall practices that this could be a successful season.

“We recognized in September that we had a special group, especially after we saw the overall athleticism, team speed and competitiveness during Fall Ball,” Gyllenborg said. “We can’t teach those things.”

In a season full of firsts, including the first national ranking, first winning season and first All-American selection, the Saints have a chance this week to add another — their first NCAA tournament victory. As the No. 3 seed in the tournament’s Midwest Regional, Maryville faces No. 2 seed UIndy in Friday’s opening round. Maryville’s only two losses this year were against UIndy.

“We’re all pretty excited,” said senior attacker Jess Hynes, one of the many third- and fourth-year players who endured a 1-10 campaign two years ago. “This has been an awesome journey, and we’re really looking forward to having it continue. I’m glad I’m here.”

Hynes credits Gyllenborg with having unleashed the potential that was waiting to be cut loose.

“We have a lot of great talent, but there’s a new energy this year,” Hynes said. “We have a lot more structure and confidence. Melissa brought in a good vibe.”

In addition, Gyllenborg added one final but important player at the 11th hour that has fully completed the transformation, McKendree transfer Sydney Tiemann.

Following Gyllenborg’s departure, rising senior Tiemann, who scored 64 goals for the Bearcats in 2022 and earned second team all-region honors, wasn’t sure she wanted to stay at McKendree. After mulling a transfer throughout the fall, Tiemann entered the portal late last year and quickly re-connected with Gyllenborg.

“I was a little nervous when I came in, but Melissa knew what she was doing,” Tiemann said. “I’m not good with change, but the girls here made it easy for me.”

By January, Tiemann was practicing with her new teammates at Maryville. By the first game in February, she was breaking records.

Both Tiemann and freshman Helen Bae set new Maryville single-game records with seven goals each in the 23-1 season-opening victory over Tiffin. It was also the most goals the Saints had ever scored in one game. Tiemann broke the single-game record again 11 days later with eight goals against her former team. She would raise the bar one more time, in April, with 11 goals against Missouri Western.

“The new setting has allowed her to explode. It’s pretty unbelievable,” Gyllenborg said.

Tiemann enters this week’s NCAA tournament as the nation’s leading scorer with 112 goals and 126 points. She set a new NCAA Division II record for single-season goals in the home finale on April 21, eclipsing the old mark of 105 goals. And the Saints broke their game record for the fourth time this year with 26 goals in that victory.

“Her talent is awesome,” said Hynes, who ranks second on the team in scoring. “She’s very fast, very intense and works very hard but also has fun. Just a great player.”

With each game and victory, the confidence that the Saints seemingly lacked in previous seasons has steadily grown. There’s a strong bond among the players that is now apparent on the field as well.

“Right off the bat, it was a different story this year,” Hynes said. “We all work so well together. It’s all very positive.”

Tiemann, named this week to the USA Lacrosse Magazine All-American first team, echoes that sentiment.

“It’s crazy how athletic these girls are,” Tiemann said. “We’re really good, and I keep telling them they just have to accept that and believe it. This team is unstoppable.”

NCAA TOURNAMENT

The 16-team NCAA Division II women’s tournament begins Friday with eight first-round games. The four number one seeds — West Chester (Atlantic), Pace (East), Regis (Midwest) and Tampa (South) — are serving as regional hosts. Friday’s winners advance to the regional finals on Sunday. The four regional champions then move on to Indianapolis for the national semifinals and championship game from May 19-21.