ST. CLOUD, MN – Olivia Gardner scored a golden goal less than two minutes into overtime as the University of Mary women's soccer team stunned host St. Cloud State University in the opening round of the Northern Sun tournament. The 2-1 Marauders victory sends UMary to the NSIC semifinals for the second straight season.
The 5
th seed in the tournament, UMary next faces #1 seed Minnesota State University in the NSIC semifinals at 1 pm on Friday, November 15. #6 Minot State plays #2 Concordia-St. Paul at 10 am. The championship game is set for 1 pm on Sunday, November 17. As the highest-seeded team, Minnesota State hosts the semifinals and championship game at The Pitch in Mankato, MN.
Gardner, the NSIC leader in game-winning goals, added another to her season total with the overtime counter at 91:49 into the match.
On a charge triggered by
Mo Malone, named the NSIC Defensive Player of the Week just prior to the game, Gardner headed the ball to
Rio Spruenken in the middle of the pitch. The junior midfielder attempted a shot from 25 yards out but the ball was deflected off a defender back to Gardner. With the SCSU defenders tacking towards the right side where the shot was initially directed, Gardner was all alone just inside the top of the 18 yard box on the left hashmarks. Undefended with only SCSU Meriel Orham in her path, Gardner one-timed her shot from 15 yards out into the lower right corner of the net past the reach of a diving Orham.
The all-conference forward is tied for the team lead with five goals, four of them game-winners. Gardner also scored the game-winning goal in the 2023 Marauders 1-0 NSIC semifinal win over Concordia-St. Paul and has now scored in three straight tournament games.
The Marauders closed out the game in similar fashion to how the game started as Amélie Faa gave UMary the lead just 1:41 into the contest.
With the Marauders taking early possession, the Marauders quickly moved into the Huskies defensive zone. Spruenken earned her first of two assists on the day as she played the ball from the right side of the field into an open space on the left side of the penalty area, where Faa outraced Huskies defenders to the ball. Playing the pass off one bounce from just outside the top left corner of the goal box, Faa lofted the ball with her right foot just inside the left post before Orham could react for a quick 1-0 lead.
Despite UMary controlling play the Huskies evened the score in the 39
th minute on a goal by Ellie Primerano.
The Marauders held impressive edged in shots taken (13-5), shots on frame (7-4) and corner kicks (5-3).
The victory is the 100
th career win for Marauders Head Coach
Sarah Cook.
UMary improves to 11-4-3 overall. SCSU is 11-3-5.
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