BILLINGS, MT – A tight contest turned towards the University of Mary on a single second-half goal as the Marauders edged Rimrock Classic host MSU Billings 1-0.
Hannah Richter scored the game's lone counter and
Madisyn Waltman backstopped the Marauders defense as UMary posted a second straight shutout to gain a second straight win to open the season.
Scoreless until the 59
th minute, a pair of former Bismarck Century teammates took control of the game. Taking a through ball from All-Northern Sun senior midfielder
Kylee Welch, Richter chipped the ball past the defender and found the right corner of the net for the only goal of the day.
The rest of the match belonged to Waltman and the Marauders defenders. Coming off a 2-0 whitewash of Black Hills State University, the UMary defense faced a stronger attack but withstood the challenge from MSU Billings.
Less than three minutes after UMary's goal, Waltman made consecutive saves on shots by MSUB. The Yellowjackets attack continued soon after Waltman made a save following a corner kick. Awarded another corner, the Yellowjackets were once again turned away.
After withstanding the initial flurry by the Yellowjackets attack, the Marauders thwarted two more corner kicks before Waltman sealed the victory with a pair of saves in the last three minutes, including one in the final moments.
Waltman recorded six saves – all in the second half – to post her 10
th career clean sheet.
Sidney Burrell paced the Marauders attack with three shots and two on frame. Richter and Ohlhauser both took two shots each.
The Marauders held a slight edge in shots (11-10) but the Yellowjackets placed more on frame (6-4). After the Marauders had the attacking edge in the opening half (7-2 edge in shots, 2-0 in shots on frame), the Yellowjackets had a similar edge in the second half in shots (8-4 edge in shots, 6-2 edge in shots on goal) with a 4-1 advantage in corner kicks.
The win improves the Marauders to 2-0-0 on the season in their final preparations before opening Northern Sun play at home when UMary hosts Northern State University on Friday, Sept. 20. Game time is 7 pm at the MDU Resources Community Bowl.
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