Box Score
The Upper Iowa University Women’s Soccer team opened the home portion of the 2010 season Friday afternoon by welcoming the #24-ranked Warriors of Winona State to Pattison Field in Fayette for the first match of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference season for both squads. Upper Iowa fought back to tie the match at 1-1 early in the second half, but a late Warrior goal allowed the visitors to take the NSIC match.
The Warriors broke through first in the 18th minute of the first half. After a long scramble in the front of the Peacock goal, the ball found its way out to Warrior defenseman Megan Rowland who chipped a shot over the outstretched arms of Amanda Smith to give the Warriors a 1-0 lead heading into the halftime break.
Even though the Peacocks took a 1-0 deficit into the locker rooms at halftime, UIU outshot Winona State 9-7 but conceded one more corner, 3-2.
Upper Iowa found its stride in the second half when Emily Gielau notched her third goal of the season in the in the 55th minute of action off of a corner kick from sophomore Valeria Ptasinski. The assist marked Ptasinski’s third of the young 2010 season.
Unfortunately for the Peacocks, the Warriors would add a second goal in the 80th minute of the contest when Sarah Colleran broke away from the Peacock defense and put a shot passed a diving Smith to give WSU the 2-1 lead and victory.
Upper Iowa outshot the Warriors 15-11 for the match and tallied 9 corner kicks to just four for Winona State. The visitors also accumulated five more fouls than UIU.
Allison Clark led the Peacocks with four shots, two of which required saves, while Smith made three saves in net in the first NSIC action of her career.
The Peacocks will be back on the pitch Sunday afternoon when they welcome former Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference opponent, Cornell College visits Pattison Field in Fayette. Kickoff for that match is scheduled for 1 p.m.
