BISMARCK, ND – Overcoming a golden pair of missed early opportunities, the University of Mary women's soccer team produced goals in both halves and continued their charge up the conference standings with a 2-1 home win over Winona State University.
Sitting in 13
th place a week ago in the Northern Sun standings, the Marauders moved into eighth place after the victory over the Warriors, who entered the game sitting fourth in the conference standings. Three games remain and the top eight teams make the league tournament. Two of UMary's three games are at home.
The Marauders started fast but with nothing to show for their efforts. With a wind of over 20 miles per hour to the Marauders back,
Tiffany Ohlhauser blasted a shot of the crossbar in the seventh minute of play. A minute later Caitin Dooley's header attempt off a corner kick grazed the top of the cross bar. UMary added two more shots in the first 15 minutes of play but failed to find the net.
Continuing to pound away with corner kicks, the Marauders broke through in the 42
nd minute. Serving from the left corner to the right side of the goal, Dooley rose above the crowd and redirected the ball back against the grain from the far edge of the goal box into the left side of the net. It was the senior's first counter of the season.
The Marauders lead was in jeopardy early in the second half when UMary was called for a foul inside the penalty area in the 55
th minute. The Warriors penalty kick subsequently misfired, harmlessly pulled right outside the post.
Soon back on the attack – this time into the wind – the Marauders doubled their lead with a beautiful goal in the 51
st minute.
Caylin Cathey made a long run before passing the ball to
Hannah Richter. The UMary sophomore defender sent the ball back into the middle of the field for
Megan Lowery, who dropped the ball over the Winona State goalkeeper's head for a 2-0 UMary advantage. It was Lowery's third goal of the year.
With time running down, the Warriors pace intensified. Winona State broke onto the scoreboard in the 83
rd minute on a header by Georgette Topalis off a corner kick.
The Warriors had a couple more chances in the final minutes, including a free kick from just outside the penalty area with six seconds left in the game, but Marauders goalkeeper Madixyn Waltman made a pair of saves and the UMary defense stood tall.
Both teams held large offensive advantages with the wind. Eight of the Marauders ten shots came in the first half with the two shots on frame split evenly between the periods. The Warriors took 14 of their 15 shots in the second half with seven of eight shots on frame occurring in the final 45 minutes of play.
The Warriors held a 9-6 edge in corner kicks.
Waltman made seven saves in the game for the Marauders. Last weekend she totaled five saves combined in a pair of 1-0 road wins.
UMary looks to extend their current three-match win streak when Upper Iowa University visits the MDU Resources Community Bowl on Sunday, Oct. 21, at 1 pm.
REZA'S PITCH COMEBACK
Reza's Pitch is making a one-day comeback on October 21 when the UMary women's and men's soccer teams have a doubleheader at the MDU Resources Community Bowl. Starting at 11 am, fans can purchase a Reza burger, chips and a water for $10. All money raised goes to the Marauders Armada for UMary student-athlete scholarships.
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