Soccer - News

UMD BACK ON TOP WITH 1-0 VICTORY OVER ST. CLOUD STATE

Sunday, October 11, 2009

It didn't have much in the way of scoring chances, but the University of Minnesota Duluth soccer squad executed when it counted most in beating Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference foe St. Cloud State University 1-0, on Sunday afternoon at James S. Malosky Stadium.

UMD, now 9-2-1 overall and 7-1 in the NSIC, entered the game one point shy of a tie with the league-leading Huskies, and had tied the visitors 0-0 in double overtime in the only other 2009 clash between the two conference stalwarts (on Sept. 12 in Sioux Falls, S.D.).

SCSU (7-3-3; 6-1-1 NSIC) controlled the ball possession for the majority of the first half, putting the hosts on their heels, and finding a higher prevalence of opportunities than the Bulldogs. The UMD defense - and junior goal keeper Hannah Bengtson, in particular - was up to the challenge, however, and the Malosky Stadium scoreboard displayed a pair of goose eggs as the teams entered halftime.

The Maroon and Gold attack was aggressive to start the second stanza, as UMD held the ball in the Huskies' zone for better part of the first 20 minutes, earning three corner kicks in that time span.

The Bulldogs were stymied until, at the 68:39 mark, sophomore defender Reegan Lloyd capitalized on a set play off of a free kick, just outside of the SCSU goalie box. Before being put into play, junior defender Maria Leider charged at the ball, touching it back to the waiting Woodbury, Minn., native, who proceeded to launch it just out of the reach of Huskies senior net minder Elizabeth Kelly, and into the left corner of the net. Lloyd's second goal of the season was the first game-winner during her time in a UMD uniform.

SCSU doubled its offensive push over the final 20 minutes, but the Bulldogs held on for their seventh NSIC victory of the year, one shy of tying the club record for most conference wins (eight) in a season - a mark collectively held by the decorated UMD teams of 2003, 2002, 2000 and 1999.

Bengtson finished the match with five saves, compared to her counter part Kelly's two. The shutout is the eighth for the native of Lino Lakes, Minn., in 2009, and number 14 in her Bulldog career. Those eight clean sheets are currently tied for most among all NSIC goalies (with Winona State University sophomore Anna Belpedio).

UMD will take its current three-game winning streak on the road next weekend, in hopes of building on its current two-point lead in the league standings. The Bulldogs will first travel to Aberdeen, S.D., for a conference duel against Northern State University next Saturday (Oct. 17) afternoon at 1 p.m., before finishing up the two-game travel slate with a match up against the University of Mary, in Bismarck, N.D., on Sunday, also at 1 p.m.

Game Box Score

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