Box Score
Box Score

The Upper Iowa women’s soccer team could almost feel it slipping through their fingers – the program-best 7-1 start, the early season momentum and postseason anticipation, and – most importantly – the victory. In the past, when faced with extreme adversity, the team would falter and fade and would not be able to capitalize on championship-caliber opportunities.

But not this team. Not this time.

The Peacocks traveled into MSU Moorhead riding a five-match win streak and when faced with a season-defining challenge, they responded admirably. Down 2-1 with less than six minutes left, in an all-important NISC match, UIU forward Corinne Wronski picked the most opportune time to record her first goal of the season.

Alyssa Petersburg found Wronski with the pass and assist at the 84:01 mark and the Huntley, Illinois native tied the match at 2-2 and sent the match to overtime.

Both teams went through the first overtime period scoreless, despite two shots from the Dragons and one from UIU.

Four minutes into the second sudden-victory period, sophomore forward Kali Loescher connected with the back of the net for the second time. Her unassisted goal was her fourth of the year and her second game-winner. With the 3-2 victory the Peacocks extend their impressive win streak to six matches and now sit at 8-1 overall this year – their best start in program history.

Loescher’s first goal came just 1:23 into the match. Midfielder Lauren Rohrmeier was credited with the assist and it was the third-straight game that UIU earned a goal within the first ten minutes of action.

The Dragons, who entered the match with a 2-5-1 record, responded with a goal in the 33rd minute and a goal in the 69th minute. Carly Lengstorf found the back of the net first for MSUM with an unassisted goal. Then after going into the half tied at 1-1, Anna Hulteng gave the Dragons their only lead of the match at the 69:38 mark, 2-1.

The Peacocks, who were ranked fifth in the region before the match, responded with two goals to tie the contest then take the lead for good.

Loescher has taken a team-high 36 shots through nine matches, connecting with the net on four of them. Wronski remains in second place just behind Loescher with a total of 20 shots, three of which were on goal. She attempted only one shot on Saturday, but, luckily for the Peacocks, she found the back of the net.

UIU outshot the Dragons, 14-10 overall and attempted more corners than MSUM (6-1).

The Peacocks also narrowly avoided defeat just moments before Loescher scored the game-winning goal. The Dragons leading scorer Erin Nyberg took back-to-back shots in the 102nd minute. Nyberg, who has a total of five goals this year, was just wide and hit the post on the first attempt before UIU goalkeeper Amanda Smith made a diving save on Nyberg’s second attempt. Smith finished with six saves and now has a total of 37 this season.

Smith, who has only given up only two goals all season, gave up two to the Dragons, but none to Nyberg – the team’s leading scorer.

UIU will now try to keep its win streak alive tomorrow as they face the Wolves of Northern State at 1 p.m. The Peacocks are 2-0-3 against Northern State under coach Bahl and in the series they are 2-2-3 over the past seven years.