GREELEY, Colo. -- The University of North Dakota soccer team suffered a 2-0 defeat on the road to Northern Colorado on Friday night at Jackson Stadium.
With the loss UND ends the season with a 2-14-2 record and a 1-9-0 mark in Big Sky competition. Northern Colorado clinched a spot in the Big Sky tournament with the win and improved to a 10-7-2 (5-4-1 BSC) record.
“I thought we played very well in the first half and were unlucky to get a goal with the chances we created,” head coach Matt Kellogg said. “This group continued to fight all night long and were creating chances all the way up to the final whistle. Obviously this was not the result we wanted, but we played some really good soccer and our players were able to walk off the field with their heads held high.”
The first half was an evenly-matched affair as both sides landed two shots each on net. Unfortunately, Northern Colorado scored on a cross in the 21st minute to take the lead.
In the second half, the Fighting Hawks got four shots on net, but Bears' goalkeeper Alyssa McGuire was able to stop them all to keep the clean sheet. Freshman Jennifer Pippin recorded three of UND's total six shots on net in the contest.
The Bears got their second and final goal of the game in the 61st minute off a corner kick that was headed in.
Sophomore goalkeeper Olivia Swenson made a total of seven saves in the contest, and finishes the season with a team-high 85 saves through 11 games. Freshman Catherine Klein ends the season with 67 saves, having played in eight games.
Sophomore Katie Moller ends the season as the team's leading scorer with three goals, while classmate Veronica Kessler ends with five points from two goals and one assist. Freshman Karleen Yapello led the rookie class with two goals.
