Box Score Records
Upper Iowa (13-4, 11-3 NSIC) || Minnesota State (15-1-1, 13-0-1 NSIC)
Recap
MANKATO, MN. – After matching the No. 4 team in the nation stride for stride over the first 45 minutes of play on Friday afternoon, the Upper Iowa Women's Soccer team couldn't keep it up. The Mavericks of Minnesota State scored three unanswered goals in the second half en route to a 3-0 conference victory at home.
The Peacocks got off to a hot start and helped set the pace of the game going back and forth with MSU. Both teams were even for the first 45 minutes taking four shots each, but the Peacocks earned two corners while the Mavericks didn't have any.
That momentum faded for UIU at the break as MSU came out on fire and found the back of the net less than ten minutes into the second period. Emily Moris took a corner kick in the 54th minute and Sydney Temple got her head on it to find the net and take the lead. Temple's header was her first of the year and the first score for either team since 2010.
The Peacocks were still in the game, but they struggled to get anything going offensively. The Mavericks, on the other hand, were creating more dangerous opportunities and quickly put the game out of reach. In a matter of five minutes, Moris found the net to extend MSU's lead to 2-0 before the NSIC's leading scorer Korey Kronforst made it a three-score game with her 17th goal of the season.
The Peacocks played catch-up for the remaining twenty minutes, but couldn't find the back of the net. The loss drops UIU to 13-4 overall this season and 11-3 in the NSIC, but UIU still has a very good shot at hosting an opening round game of the NSIC/US Bank Women's Soccer Tournament.
Stat of the Game
The Mavericks outshot the Peacocks, 13-6 in the second half of Friday's game en route to a 3-0 victory.
Sounding Off
Head Coach
Brian Diaz After the Game…
On the Loss… "It's obviously a very disappointing outcome. I thought we played really well in the first half, but we weren't able to match that performance in the second half. Credit to Mankato – there's a reason they're the conference champs."
On the First Half… "I thought we went toe to toe with them in the first half. We just couldn't find the back of the net, but I thought we played that type of soccer. We had a couple chances to find the net, but it just didn't happen. In the second half, I don't think we adjusted well to what Mankato did and that falls on me."
On the Adjustments Needed Before Sunday… "We'll train tomorrow and hopefully come back at it stronger. I take full responsibility for today – I need to do a better job of getting them ready to play for a full 90 minutes. We have to regroup and get back after it against Concordia."
Up Next
The Peacocks will take on Concordia University St. Paul on Sunday at 1 p.m. on Pattison Field. As of right now, UIU is tied with Minnesota Duluth for fourth place in the conference. Winona State sits in third, but all three teams could shuffle around before the start of the conference tournament.
