FARGO, N.D. - North Dakota scored a pair of goals in the final 15 minutes of regulation and narrowly missed a chance to tie the game in the dying seconds as North Dakota State hung on to defeat the Fighting Sioux 4-3 this afternoon at the Ellig Sports Complex.

The game was the season opener for both teams and marked the first matchup since 2003 between the Interstate 29 rivals.

NDSU took a commanding 4-1 lead into the second half and appeared to be in control until Sioux junior Rachael Loomis, a native of Fargo, pounded home a free kick at the 75-minute mark to cut the deficit to 4-2.

Just over eight minutes later, sophomore Rachel Dallman found the net from 18 feet out to pull the Sioux to within a goal at 4-3. It was Dallman's first career goal.

UND had a chance to tie the game off of a corner kick with seven seconds remaining in regulation, but the Sioux were unable to corral the bouncing ball in front of the Bison net and it was kicked out of bounds by an NDSU defender at the buzzer.

The Sioux opened the scoring just 4:45 into the game when sophomore defender Caitlyn Haring, another Fargo native, struck for her first career goal.

"I think we came out really strong," Haring said. "The goal right at the beginning got our energy up."

However, NDSU quickly bounced back on a pair of goals four minutes apart by Holly Christian. A Katie Tallas goal at 32:18 sent the teams into halftime with the Bison leading 3-1.

"I thought we got out of rhythm for us," head coach Kristen Gay said. "We started to play a little more direct and find feet. When we did that and our centermen had the ball, I thought we played better."

NDSU's Quin Ryan tallied what proved to be the game-winning goal when she scored at the 55:10 mark.

Senior goalkeeper Monica Stierman (Mahtomedi, Minn.) made five saves for the Sioux, while NDSU's Kathy Kelsey countered with eight.

The Sioux will return to action tomorrow with the annual UND Alumni Match at Bronson Field at 2 p.m.

Notes: The loss snapped UND's three-game winning streak against NDSU.