MORRIS, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Morris women's soccer team picked up its first victory of the season and picked up a vital three points in the conference standings with a 1-0 victory over Northland College on Sunday afternoon. The Cougars improve to 1-5-2 (1-1-2 UMAC) with the win.
Minnesota Morris enjoyed more than 70 percent of the possession and had 20-3 and 7-0 advantages in total shots and corner kicks in the match, but Northland goalkeeper Elysabeth Lough made things difficult on the Cougars throughout.
The script would be written early on, with Northland rarely gaining possession on the Minnesota Morris side of the field. The Cougars had four shots in the first 10 minutes, but both shots on goal from
Bella Toth were saved by Lough. By halftime, the shots were 9-0 in favor of the Cougars but the score remained 0-0.
With just over a minute gone in the second half, Minnesota Morris finally had the breakthrough it had been looking for.
Maddie Schneider crossed a dangerous ball into the box and it clipped off a Northland defender, sending Lough the wrong way and rolling in to give the Cougars the lead.
Though UMN Morris continued to possess the ball and create chances, Lough refused to allow another ball past her. The junior keeper made nine saves from that point on, denying clear-cut chances in the box and even a shot from right in front of goal by
Hailey Szabla that might have put it away.
Instead, with their goalkeeper keeping them in it, the LumberJills nearly equalized in the final minutes. The only three Northland shots of the match all came with less than eight minutes to play and
CJ Frear-Boerner was forced into two saves, including one on an uncomfortable shot that hit the turf directly in front of her.
Frear-Boerner and
Danielle Reinhard combined on the shutout, with Reinhard working the opening 45 minutes without a save. Toth led all players in the match with five shots (four on goal), while
AJ LaFrinier had four (two on goal).
Minnesota Morris will look to build some momentum as the Cougars stay home on Wednesday to host North Central University at 4:30 p.m. at Cougar Field.
