ORANGE BEACH, Ala. – The 14th ranked Spring Arbor University women's soccer team battled back from a late one-goal deficit to earn a hard-fought 3-3 draw with the University of Mobile on the first day of the 2014 Orange Beach Classic at the Orange Beach Sportsplex.
The Cougars led for most of the way until the Rams, who are receiving votes in the NAIA Top 25 Poll, tallied back-to-back goals in the 76th and 78th minutes to grab a 3-2 advantage. However, freshman Aubrey Schierbeek scored the equalizer just over a minute later to help SAU rally and earn the draw.
"Mobile is a very good team who should be rated inside the top-25 in the next poll," said head coach Jason Crist. "They have results against a top-five opponent with a draw with No. 4 Northwood and they beat a top-25 program in Texas-Brownsville. It's a shame we could not see this match out to a victory, but our young players learned a lot about what it takes to compete with ranked teams today."
Spring Arbor struck first in the 23rd minute when Schierbeek found sophomore Corrie Good with a through ball from the top of the 18-yard box and Good tucked a shot inside the far post to put SAU on top 1-0.
Mobile (3-2-2) answered at the 31:00 mark with a blast from just outside the 18, however, the Cougars would respond almost immediately. In the 35th minute, freshman Sarah Klunder lofted a shot from over 20 yards out that beat the Rams' goalkeeper and would give SAU a 2-1 lead heading into halftime.
Spring Arbor continued to control a very physical match against the Rams early in the second half, but Mobile would cash in late, punching in a pair of loose balls off set pieces. The first came off a corner kick when the initial shot bounced off the post and Anna Caroline Scales' shot off the rebound snuck past SAU's Sarah Yancer. The go-ahead goal came 1:28 later when the rebound from a long free kick found the foot of Scales again and her shot went just off the hand of Yancer and into the net.
The relentless Cougars would not go away though, and in the 79th minute senior Megan Sullivan served a free kick into the box where Schierbeek headed home the tying goal forcing overtime.
SAU was dominant in the extra periods, outshooting the Rams 7-2, but were unable to find the game-winner.
Schierbeek finished the match with 13 shots while Good added four. Yancer recorded six saves on the afternoon.
"Our forward movement looked much better and our attackers are starting to create good chances. We needed to be better defending their set pieces, but full credit to Mobile they have good size, are tough in the air and battle hard. Not the result we hoped for, but we go better today. I love where this team is heading and it's fun watching them grow up."
The Cougars (4-1-1) are right back in action on Saturday, Sept. 13 when they face No. 9 William Carey University at 5:30 p.m. EST.
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