3-0 Lead Almost Slips Away as Lady Argos Beat Beacons
GREAT FALLS, Mont. – A 3-0 lead almost slipped away from Lady Argo soccer, but a late rally from Northwest Christian University fell short as UP opened conference play with an important 3-2 win. UP was dominant in the first half and halfway through the second but almost lost control in the last 20 minutes.
“It’s always good to come out of the first conference match with a win. The team played hard and we created several good scoring opportunities,” Head Coach Brian Clarke said. “I am proud of how we were able to pull through and we continue to grow each match.”
There was almost no time wasted between the opening kick and the Lady Argo’s first goal. UP controlled the ball immediately and a quick attack down the wing earned the team a corner kick just a minute and 20 seconds into play. Junior Sydney Knieriem took the kick and put a dangerous ball that dropped to header level by the near post about 6 yards out.
Senior forward Alejandra Guzman went for the ball and got there at the same time as NCU’s goalkeeper. The collision sent the ball bouncing towards the net. The Beacon’s first attempt to clear hit off the keeper and headed back towards the goal line and another attempt hit off another Beacon player and finally found its way over the line for the game’s first goal.
Almost exactly five minutes later, senior defender Sandralee DeVille sent a gorgeous ball from about midfield on the right wing right to over NCU’s backline and towards the top of the penalty box. Sophomore Eme McLaughlin won the footrace to the ball and after taking a few touches into the box put a clinical finish into the right corner of the net.
After just over six and a half minutes of play, the Lady Argos had 1 corner kick, 1 shot, and 2 goals.
UP kept up the pressure for most of the half, outshooting MCU 8-4 and earning 6 corner kicks to the Beacon’s 1.
The second half started with more of the same. Knieriem got off the half’s first shot on goal in the 54th minute which was saved but the NCU keeper couldn’t corral the ball well enough to keep it from rolling out of bounds for a corner kick.
Once again it was Knieriem lining up to take the kick, and this time she didn’t need any help to get the ball into the back of the net. The ball left her foot, rose just above the height of the crossbar and then curled towards the near post as the ball dipped below the bar. By the time a Beacon defender tried to chest the ball away, it had already crossed the goal line.
Going up by 3 goals seemed to cause the Lady Argos to relax, and soon after, NCU took control of the game. From the 55th minute to the 86th minute, the Beacons got off 7 shots to UP’s 3 and the ones that UP did get were off of counterattacks rather than long possession.
Constant pressure from NCU finally broke through in the 72nd minute when a hard, low shot from NCU’s Sami Wilson was initially stopped by UP goalkeeper Dakota Neumann, but squirted out from underneath her and continued rolling behind her. The Beacon’s Libby Gregory was the first to the loose ball and finished into the open net.
Just over 10 minutes later, DeVille fouled an NCU player inside the penalty box, and the Beacons finished on the ensuing penalty kick to bring the score to 3-2.
Watching the lead slip from 3 goals to 1 woke the Lady Argos back up and the Beacons never even got off another shot before the final horn sounded.
For the first time since joining the Cascade Collegiate Conference in the 2015 season, the Lady Argos have won their season opener. The team also extends its all-time record against NCU to 5-1. UP is 2-3 (1-0) on the year with its next opponent being Corban University at home on Saturday, September 23 at 1 p.m. The Lady Argos have never beaten the Corban Warriors.