The NAIA # 19 ranked Spring Arbor University women's soccer team turned in a gutty performance in their season opener, as the Cougars travelled to Columbia, Kentucky to take on the #6 ranked Lindsey Wilson College Blue Raiders on Saturday evening.
The match proved to be everything expected, as the two teams slugged it out over the first 45 minutes of play, each registering five shots on goal, but neither able to find the back of the net. With the run of play virtually even, the two teams made their halftime adjustments and took to the field for the second stanza, each hoping to gain an edge and find the elusive opening goal.
It was the Blue Raiders who turned up the pressure over the first fifteen minutes of the second half, and the pressure eventually paid off, as a miscommunication between the Cougar defense and goalkeeper
Brooklyn Morgan led to an unmarked Blue Raider gathering a loose searching ball in the Cougar box and slotting it home past Morgan to give the hosts a 1-0 edge.
The Lady Cougars dug deep and slowly began to reverse the momentum of the game. Over the next ten minutes, junior
Maegan Smith and sophomore
Karly Linton each had a couple of strong looks on goal but were thwarted by the LWC netminder.
It was Smith who finally equalized the game after receiving a long pass from Linton and turning her defender at the top of the box. The Hickory Corners, Michigan native turned and fired a right footed effort that found it's way over the suprised Blue Raider goalkeeper and into the top right side of the net.
The Cougars had a couple of good chances late in regulation, and it looked as if they may have found the game winner in the closing moments, but freshman
Kailyn Wegenke's volley hit an SAU midfielder and bounded away harmlessly just before crossing the goal line in the 83rd minute of play leaving the game level at one apiece.
The two teams battled through two overtimes, with neither gaining a clear edge forcing the tie.
The Blue Raiders fired 15 shots to 11 for the visiting Cougars, but SAU put eight of their attempts on frame, while LWC had seven.
"We played with real guts tonight," commented Spring Arbor coach
Jason Crist. "We have a really young team, and we weren't always as composed as we should have been, but our effort was top notch. I am very happy with how much heart and determination that the ladies showed out there against a very good Lindsey Wilson team."
SAU will have Monday off before travelling to Cincinnati on Tuesday to square off in a 7 p.m. matchup with Cincinnati Christian University at Xavier University.
