Column: Thank you, Addy Joiner

SOC: Valparaiso senior played final home game on Thursday, will close career on Sunday at Missouri State

VALPARAISO - The tears will probably come at some point for Addy Joiner, but the Valparaiso senior didn’t have time for emotions on Thursday night.

She was too busy trying to win a soccer match.

As the seconds ticked down in the final home game of Joiner’s career, the Chesterton native was doing what she’s done all her life. She was competing.

UIC led 1-0 with 23 seconds remaining on Thursday and the Flames were taking their sweet time lining up for a free kick. As UIC midfielder Natalie Montini prepared to take the kick, Joiner was calling out strategy to her teammates. Pointing her arms in one direction, yelling in another. Joiner wasn’t going down without a fight.

Then Joiner turned her head back toward Montini and perhaps caught a glimpse of the scoreboard as the seconds were winding down. Her hands went to her hips and they stayed there as the ball flew over her head. The clock hit zero and that was it. Addy Joiner will never play another soccer match in Northwest Indiana.

That’s going to take some getting used to.