BISMARCK, ND – The University of Mary women's soccer team stood toe to toe with one of the nation's top programs with a single second half goal the lone difference in the game. Unable to find the net during an early surge, the Marauders suffered a heartbreaking 1-0 loss to 5
th ranked and visiting Minnesota State University in Northern Sun play.
UMary (1-4-2/0-2-1 NSIC) had control of the contest in the first 30 minutes with the run of play favoring the home team.
MaLiah Burke fired off a shot in the first minute of play and the Marauders held a 4-0 advantage in shots over the first 39 minutes of play with Mavericks goalkeeper forced to make two saves.
The tide started tilting towards Minnesota State (5-1-1/3-0-0) in the 33
rd minute as the Mavericks generated a pair of corner kicks. In the last six minutes of the opening half,
Molly Fischer made her first save of the game for the Marauders as UMary turned away four corner kicks and three shots.
A shot by
Kendra Park and a corner kick gave the Marauders the first scoring opportunity of the second half but it was the Mavericks who struck first.
Taking a forward pass into space from Maddix Archer, Anna Van Wyngarden fired a shot from just outside the top right of the penalty area into the lower left corner of the goal in the 54
th minute of play for the lone counter of the contest.
Both teams would continue to battle in a physical contest that included 19 fouls (11 by UMary) and five yellow cards (three for MSU).
Rio Spruenken and
Olivia Gardner both placed shots on frame for UMary while Fischer made three saves with the Mavericks also hitting the frame.
MSU held a slight edge in shots (12-10) and shots on frame (7-4) with an 8-2 advantage in corner kicks.
Fischer finished with six saves. Park and Spruenken both had three shots for the Marauders with Spruenken placing two on frame.
The Mavericks are the third team the Marauders have faced this season who was ranked in the national preseason poll. Grand Valley State was 8th, Central Missouri 13th and Minnesota State 21st. All three are also ranked in this week's United Soccer Coaches Poll.
The Marauders 3-game home stand and Mental Health Awareness Weekend concludes Sunday, September 24, when UMary hosts Southwest Minnesota State University. The Northern Sun contest is set for 1 pm at the MDU Resources Community Bowl.
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