The Upper Iowa University women's soccer team became the season's first squad to score more than once in regulation against No. 11 Bemidji State, but BSU claimed the 4-2 win over UIU on Pattison Field in Fayette. The Peacocks fall to 6-6 (4-6 NSIC) on the year while the Beavers stay undefeated at 11-0-2 (8-0-2 NSIC) on the season.
UIU's
Haley Ramberg took the first shot of the match just 14 seconds into the contest, but BSU took the next three shots and sprinkled in two corner kicks as their offense broke through and gave them a 1-0 lead at the 15:54 mark. The next shot of the match did not come until the 32:32 mark as
Natalie Rudrud saved a shot on goal from Bemidji State.
The Peacocks took the next three shots of the match and added a corner kick as they looked to even the score, but BSU saved on-target attempts from
Grace Birdsley,
Aimee Sies, and
Alex Garcia to maintain their lead. The Beavers took the final shot of the half at the 44:00 mark, but Rudrud made a save as the period ended with Upper Iowa facing a 1-0 deficit.
Bemidji State increased their offensive pressure to start the second half and doubled their lead to 2-0 at the 48:35 mark. The Beavers kept their foot on the gas as they earned a corner kick, put a shot on goal that was saved, and saw a shot bounce off the crossbar in a 1:04 span from the 50th to 52nd minute. The Bemidji State attack broke through once again as a pair of Beavers connected on a header that was identical to their first connection in the 49th minute to give BSU a 3-0 lead.
The Peacocks recorded their first shot of the half in the 75th minute, and their offense started to click after earning a corner kick at the 76:27 mark. The Peacocks used the corner as an opportunity for a set piece, and the UIU offense made it happen as
Leah Willenbring assisted
Katie Samuels on the kick to score the first goal for Upper Iowa in the 77th minute.
The Beavers answered by scoring a controversial goal at the 85:37 mark after the Peacocks thought there should have been an offsides call, pushing their lead to 4-1. Upper Iowa came up with a quick answer of their own as a Bemidji State foul on the ensuing UIU attack allowed Samuels to score her second goal off of the free kick to make it a 4-2 game at the 86:06 mark.
Garcia and
Liv Wildeman were able to put a pair of shots on goal for Upper Iowa in the final minutes, but the score remained 4-2 as the No. 11 Beavers remained undefeated despite giving up multiple goals in regulation for the first time this year.
PEACOCKS OF THE GAME...
- Katie Samuels came off the bench and provided both of the Peacock goals while also leading the team with three shots in her 74 minutes.
- Leah Willenbring dished out her team-leading fourth assist of the season. She recorded an assist for the second straight match and continued an impressive stretch of playing full time for the Peacock defense in each UIU contest this year.
- Alex Garcia (2), Liv Wildeman (1), and Grace Birdsley (1) put all of their shots on goal for UIU.
STATS OF THE GAME...
- The Peacocks (7) allowed the Beavers (8) to take just one more shot on goal in the match despite being outshot by a 15-10 margin.
- UIU earned five corner kicks while allowing just three to BSU.
UP NEXT... UIU hits the road for a pair of NSIC matches away from Fayette, starting with a matchup against Northern State University in Aberdeen, S.D. on Friday, Oct. 22 at 7 p.m. before meeting Minnesota State University Moorhead on Sunday, Oct. 24 at 1 p.m. in Moorhead, Minn.
