GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- The University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks soccer team dropped a 2-1 battle to Sacramento State on Friday at Bronson Field.
UND (2-10-2, 1-5-0 BSC) was doomed by a 13-minute stretch that saw the Hornets (5-6-4, 3-2-2 BSC) strike twice.
"I am so proud of this group of young women and their willingness to keep fighting every game, especially after a very emotional week for the program," said head coach Matt Kellogg on UND's effort. "In the Big Sky conference as long as you're willing to fight you've always got a chance to win."
With the wind being a factor in this afternoon's match, the Fighting Hawks looked to take advantage of it in the first half by having it at their backs.
It took about 20 minutes for UND to settle into the game, but then the Fighting Hawks began to take flight on offense.
UND earned the game's first corner kick in the 23rd minute and Liz McDowell placed a well-struck ball into the box, but it just missed the foot of a pair of Fighting Hawks as Sacramento State survived the attack.
However just four minutes later, Katie Moller won a battle for a free ball in the offensive third and fired a shot into the left side of the cage to give the Fighting Hawks a 1-0 lead just 28 minutes into the match.
Sacramento St. keeper, Destiny Butcher, didn't even have time to react on the shot as Moller launched her third goal of the season and the sophomore has now struck in back-to-back games for the first time in her career.
UND continued to apply pressure in the first 45 minutes, firing six shots and earning three corners.
Olivia Swenson was back between the pipes for the Fighting Hawks continued to come up large for UND throughout the match.
Swenson and her backline were tested in the 36th minute when the sophomore goalkeeper made a pair of saves along with two defenders clearing a pair of Hornet shots off the goal line to preserve the 1-0 lead heading into the halftime break.
In the second half, Sacramento State came out with the wind at its back and continued to pepper the UND defense.
The Hornets broke through in the 50th minute when Jennifer Lum scored off a pass from Andrea Boehm to tie the game at 1-1.
Just 13 minutes later, Lum struck again as her shot snuck its way through the UND defense and past a diving Swenson to give the Hornets a 2-1 lead.
UND had a trio of chances in the final ten minutes as Kennedy Kidd fired a free kick just over the bar and a McDowell corner resulted in a Michelle Stingle shot that was blocked as the Hornets held on for the 2-1 win.
The Fighting Hawks will next turn its attention to Portland State as the Vikings come to Grand Forks to wrap up the four-game home stand on Sunday, and Kellogg is looking forward to the matchup.
"I'm very excited for our game against Portland State on Sunday to finish off our 4-game home stand."
Kick-off is set for 11 a.m. at Bronson Field.
-UND-
