The Great West Conference Championship was a game to remember as the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux (6-13-0) and the Houston Baptist Huskies (7-13-2) battled over 110 minutes to a shootout finish that saw the Huskies emerge victorious 2-1.
"Our team had a great run at the end of our season. We battled with only ten players for the two overtime periods and came up short in penalty kicks. This team really represented what the Fighting Sioux are all about", said UND head coach Kristen Gay after Monday's loss.
The Huskies were in their second GWC final in two years, losing to Utah Valley last year, and this is their first GWC soccer title. This was the UND's first GWC final appearance.
The game was a defensive struggle on both sides as there were only two goals in the match, both appearing in the first half. The Huskies led in shots with nine to the Sioux's five, while both teams tied on corner kicks with one each.
Senior forward Alex Zarling (Fargo, N.D.) scored first at the 25:51 mark from the left side of the box off an assist from sophomore defender Sheri Stapf (Lakeville, Minn.). The Huskies bounced back 19 minutes later when sophomore defender Brandi Hart banged in the game tying goal from a pile in front of the goal. The goal was unassisted.
The second half featured more of the defense as neither team scored despite 13 shots combined for both teams, seven for the Huskies and six for the Sioux, and three corners for HBU and two for UND.
With the score tied at one a piece the game went into overtime, which went scoreless followed by a second scoreless overtime leading to a shootout.
Huskies freshman midfielder Kelsey Haberkorn's kick was saved by UND senior keeper Monica Stierman (Mahtomedi, Minn.). Sioux sophomore defender Rhaya Ballon (Roger, Minn.) shot next giving the Sioux a 1 goal lead.
In the second round senior Husky midfielder found the back of the net to tie the shootout, but Stapf shot next for the Sioux blazing in another goal putting UND back on top.
Husky freshman midfielder Tori Adame knotted the shootout back up as she banged home a second goal for HBU in the third round. Sioux junior forward Rachael Loomis (Fargo, N.D.) wasn't able to find the net as her attempt went wide leaving the shootout tied.
It was Huskies sophomore midfielder Cindy Hedden putting the Huskies on top in the fourth. With the Sioux trailing it was junior midfielder Kelsey Zachman (Mahtomedi, Minn.) sending a goal past the goal to put the shootout at an even four goals a piece.
In the fifth round Huskies sophomore forward Arielle Rodriquez fired a goal past Stierman giving HBU a 5-4 lead. Zarling needed to score for the second time, but couldn't get it past HBU's goalie Shelby Horn, giving the Huskies the win in end.
When asked about the loss Zarling said, "It was a hard fought battle it's definitely tough to go out this way. I'm really proud of my teammates and I'm really going to miss them." This was Zarling's last game in a Sioux uniform.
Zarling led the Sioux with six shots, three on goal, and had the only goal in regulation. Stapf led the team with one assist. Stierman finished the game with nine saves giving her 120 saves on the season, which shatters the old record of 109 set in 2002 by Ashley Salberg.
