MARSHALL, MN – A second straight game-winning goal by
Olivia Gardner combined with a three-goal outburst in the second half carried the University of Mary to a 4-0 road win over Southwest Minnesota State University and a weekend sweep on the road.
With back-to-back wins at the University of Sioux Falls and SMSU, UMary improves to 7-5-3 overall and 5-4-3 (18 points) for 7
th place in Northern Sun play. SMSU is 2-13-0 overall and 1-11-0 (3 pts) and sits in 15
th place.
Looking to qualify for the NSIC tournament for an 8
th straight season, the Marauders are tied with Northern State University for 7
th place with three matches remaining, including the next two coming at home. UMary entered the weekend in 12
th place. The top eight teams in the final standings qualify for the NSIC tournament. Three games remain in the regular season.
With the Marauders playing into a wind blowing at over 20 miles per hour and gusts over 30 mph, UMary opened the scoring just 4:12 into the match.
Taking advantage of a turnover in the Mustangs defensive end,
MaLiah Burke carried the ball towards the right sideline. The senior UMary captain sailed a perfect cross to the left side of the goal box for Gardner, also a team captain, who delivered a spectacular header into the net for an early 1-0 Marauders lead. It was the lone goal of the first half.
For Gardner, who scored the deciding goal in the 85
th minute of UMary's 3-2 win at Sioux Falls on Friday, it was her team-high 9
th goal of the season and her 8
th goal in the last six games.
Taking advantage of the wind in the second half, the Marauders tallied three times in the first ten minutes of play with Burke providing the spark.
Once again looking for a scoring opportunity, Burke sailed a cross into the box where
Addison Massey found the net on a header to score her first collegiate goal in the 49
th minute.
Senior captain
Tara Young, who scored her first collegiate goal a week prior, doubled her career counter total when she knocked home a corner kick served by
Chloe Brand from the left side of the net in the 53
rd minute.
Less than two minutes later, Brand used the wind to her advantage to score directly off the corner kick. Driving the ball from the left side corner, Brand's shot carried just under the crossbar before nestling in the back of the net. It was the second time in two games that Brand scored a goal on a corner kick.
UMary held a massive edge in shots (21-4), shots on frame (9-3) and corners (10-2).
Kadyn Dilger earned her seventh clean sheet of the season, making two saves in the game. To maintain the shutout, Dilger was forced to turn aside a penalty shot by Lenee Chavez in the 76
th minute. Playing the attempt to perfection, Dilger dove to her right side to smother the shot and not allow a rebound.
The Marauders now return home for their final home weekend of the regular season. UMary hosts MSU Moorhead on Friday, October 31, and the University of Minnesota Crookston on Sunday, November 2. Kickoff is 1 pm both days at the MDU Resources Community Bowl in Bismarck, ND.
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