Box Score
Box Score

The Peacocks have always played the Mavericks of Minnesota State tough. Despite MSUM holding a 2-1-1 record in the series coming into Sunday’s conference match, the Peacocks earned a win and a tie in the last two matches and again, there was just something about beating the number one team in the nation that sounded good to UIU.

After a back-and-forth defensive battle in the first half, both teams netted a goal within an eight-minute time span in the second period. Those goals would stick through two overtime periods as the teams ended in a 1-1 tie at Pattison Field in conference play.

Coming into the match, neither team had allowed more than six goals to their opponents. So a shootout was out of the question on Sunday.

Both teams battled for offensive touches in the first half, but neither team could get off many shots. UIU had just two shots in the first half, while MSUM had eight. Neither team had a shot on frame, though.

The Mavericks offense bounced back in the second half, and in the 67^th minute, Courtney Vallarelli found Emily Moris inside the 18-yard box. In a crowd of defenders, Moris squeezed the ball through to the back of the net.

After earning seven straight shutouts, Peacock goalkeeper Amanda Smith’s impressive streak came to a halt with that goal.

"We were a little sloppy today," head coach Brian Bahl said afterwards. "It wasn't our best game on all sides of the ball. But it's exciting you can not play your best and still come out with a good result."

What intially seemed like a demoralizing goal for UIU, which up to that point had played so well on defense, was really a turning point for the team. The Peacocks started attacking more on offense while still holding strong on defense.

Less than seven minutes after MSUM’s goal, sophomore forward Kali Loescher controlled the ball down the sideline and attempted a long-arching cross inside the penalty box. The ball sailed wide right – as it had all day for her – and over the outstretched hands of Molly McGnough – the Maverick goalkeeper – and finally found the back of the net.

The goal was Loescher’s seventh of the season and it tied the match at 1-1 with less than 25 minutes to play in regulation.

"When you go at somebody and create, good things will happen," Bahl put simply.

By that point, both teams were exhausted on offense. Despite the lapses in goals, both defenses had dominated and that continued in the waning minutes. The squads stayed tied and went into the first ten-minute overtime period.

Just three minutes into the first extra period, freshman forward Madie Edwards took a shot on goal, but it was blocked. The Mavericks went on the counter-offensive earning a shot on goal from Tori Meinhardt, but Smith made a solid save.

UIU attempted one more shot in the first overtime period, but couldn’t connect with the net and the teams went to a second overtime period.

MSUM, feeling the desperation, earned a shot in the 100^th minute from Brianne West, but Smith made another strong save. UIU did not attempt a shot in the second overtime period, but did shut down the MSUM offense. Both defenses held strong and the resulting tie keeps UIU in third place in the conference and Minnesota State atop the NSIC.

"This was a huge tie in regards to NCAA Tournament rankings," Bahl said.

The result was also important for five seniors who played in their final regular-season  match at Pattison Field. Elizabeth Kaluzinski, Catherine Bunting, Alyssa Petersburg, Valeria Ptasinski and Vicki Booth were honored after the match for their commitment to the Peacock program.

UIU now stands at 14-2-2 overall, including 11-2-2 in the conference. The Peacocks will play in the first round of the NSIC tournament on Wednesday Afternoon at Pattison Field. In the opening round of the NSIC/US Bank Women's Soccer Tournament, the Peacocks will play Bemidji State at 2 p.m. Earlier this year, UIU defeated the Beavers 1-0 in Bemidji, Minnesota on October 16th.