MINOT, ND – For a second straight Friday, the University of Mary suffered a 1-0 road loss with the lone goal coming late in the match. Today the Marauders loss at Minot State University painfully cost UMary the chance to host a game in the opening round of the Northern Sun tournament. Instead, the Marauders capture the 6^th seed and will open the 2021 NSIC tournament at Minnesota State University on Wednesday, Nov. 10. Kickoff is set for 1 pm.
 
The top seed remaining after the opening round will host the NSIC semifinals on Friday, Nov. 12, and the conference championship game on Sunday, Nov. 14. The tournament champion earns an automatic berth in the NCAA tournament.
 
Both the Marauders and the Beavers just missed on outstanding scoring opportunities in the opening half.
 
Madisyn Waltman made a pair of brilliant saves seconds apart less than seven minutes into the game. Chloe Allen unleashed a shot from the 15 yards out towards the lower left corner of the net. Diving to her right, Waltman used her fingertips to redirect the scoring attempt off the left post. Scrambling quickly to her feet, Waltman was forced to make another impressive save on a point blank shot from inside the goal box by Lainey Sandberg to keep the match scoreless.
 
The Marauders just missed opening the scoring in the 22^nd minute. Fresh off the bench, freshman Kendra Park ripped a shot off the right post following a tremendous feed from Kayla Alcott.
 
Needing to win to host a tournament game while a win or a draw provided Minot State a home game, UMary committed to the attack the deeper the game progressed.
 
Waltman came up big again in the 88^th minute. Working herself free just outside the right of the goal box, Melanie van Walstjin fired a shot that appeared to be going into the top left corner of the net before Waltman interceded to knock the ball away and keep the match scoreless.
 
With less than eight minutes to play, Waltman narrowly beat Lewis to the ball on a potential breakaway.
 
Just moments later on another rush, Lewis succeeded in breaking past the charging Waltman at the top of the penalty box. Waltman's action forced the Minot State attacker wide to the left where Samantha Guzman was able to contain Lewis deep in the goal box, at which point Guzman was forced to knock the ball out of play across the end line, setting up Minot State for what proved to be a decisive corner kick.
 
Lewis let loose a perfect service off the corner kick into the top middle of the goal box to van Walstjin, who knocked a header into the lower right corner for the lone goal of the game at 83:25.
 
The Marauders had one final shot attempt with just under six minutes remaining but HannnahRichter's deep attempt sailed wide to the right. UMary later narrowly missed on a thru ball when an attempt from Alcott to Yasmina Dokara was broken up atop the penalty area with just over three minutes remaining.
 
Waltman was officially credited with three saves. Maddie Kindred had five for Minot State.
 
Park let loose three shots for UMary with two on frame. Richter and Alcott has two each.
 
Both teams were credited with 10 shots in the game with UMary holding a 5-4 edge in shots on frame. The Marauders were whistled for eight fouls to five for the Beavers.
 
UMary finished the regular season 9-6-3 overall and 8-5-2 in NSIC play for 26 points to earn a 4^thstraight trip to the conference tournament. Minot State is 11-5-2 and 10-3-2.
 
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