Bismarck, N.D. – Returning to their home field for the first time in a month, the University of Mary women's soccer team was looking for the typical advantage found playing on your own pitch. Instead it was Upper Iowa University that found all the right bounces in a 2-0 Northern Sun win for the Peacocks over the Marauders.
At home for the first time since Labor Day weekend, and ending a string of six road games, the Marauders (1-6-1 overall / 1-5 NSIC) played a tight first half with the Peacocks (4-3-2 / 3-2-1). Despite playing with the wind to their backs and gaining five corner kicks without giving up any, the Marauders were unable to solve the Peacocks defense. Twice
Caitlin Dooley managed to get a head on a ball served by
Emily Christensen but both attempts missed the net.
Mykala Benjamin nearly put the Marauders on the board in the 18
th minute. Sprinting past Peacocks defenders to chase down a long forward pass, Benjamin attempted to chip the ball over fast-closing Upper Iowa goalkeeper Kaitlyn Emanuel. Emanuel managed to close the distance and make a point blank save far from the net. Seconds later, Emanuel stopped a
Michelle McGeary scoring attempt.
A costly miscue by U-Mary right before the half turned the tide to Upper Iowa. With just 54 seconds remaining before intermission and the Peacocks on the attack, the Marauders committed a foul inside the box. Upper Iowa's Maddie Edwards drove home the subsequent penalty kick into the right hand side of the net for the first goal of the game.
Now playing into a stiff wind, the Marauders were unable to crack the Peacocks defense and couldn't apply much pressure until late in the game. U-Mary's best chance came on a rocket fired by Benjamin towards the upper right corner from about 18 yards out in the 76
th minute. With Kaitlyn Emanuel on the other side of the net, a tie looked imminent until an Upper Iowa defender on the goal line headed Benjamin's shot over the net.
The Marauders had another tremendous attempt on the subsequent kick but
Destiny Glaser's shot off a scramble in front of the net missed right side.
After a save by U-Mary's
Bailey Wenz , the Marauders went back on the attack. A Glaser shot in the 80
th minute was stopped by Emanuel and two corner kicks failed. After two fouls by Upper Iowa, Dooley got a boot on the ball inside the box but her shot sailed high.
The Peacocks immediately countered, scoring at 88:33 on a breakout. Edwards took a thru ball from Jordyn Ostrowski and beat Wenz one on one to the left side for her second goal of the game.
Close statistically, both teams took ten shots with UIU managing a 5-4 edge in shots on goal. The Marauders held a massive 10-1 advantage in corner kicks.
Benjamin and Dooley both took three shots for U-Mary with Benjamin placing two on net.
The Marauders next host Winona State University at noon on Sunday, Oct. 4, at the MSU Resources Community Bowl.
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