CORVALLIS, Ore. – In its first-ever meeting with a Pac-12 foe – a nationally ranked one at that – the University of North Dakota (2-4) battled toe-to-toe with Oregon State (8-0), keeping a clean sheet in the first half and equalizing less than a minute after the opening goal. However, the Fighting Hawks fell to the Beavers at Paul Lorenz Field, 3-2.
Hannah Olson recorded her second goal of the season in the 56th minute and posted three shots in the match, while
Bailey McNitt tallied her third of 2021 to try and rally the Fighting Hawks attack. The Beavers received 49 points in this week's United Soccer Coaches Poll, giving them the fourth-most points outside of the Top-25 poll.
"We had a great chance to win tonight against a nationally ranked side in Oregon State. I'm happy with our team's effort and thought we did great job of pushing them the full 90 minutes," said Head Coach
Chris Logan.
North Dakota was undeterred by Oregon State's undefeated record and the national attention it had received during its 7-0 start to the season, its second-best start in program history, as it held the Beavers scoreless in the opening half.
After Oregon State scored in the 55th minute, Olson sprinted after through ball kicked towards the net, drawing contact with the defender and separating herself into a one-v-one situation with the keeper, coolly slipping the ball into the back of the net in the 56th minute to tie the match, 1-1.
OSU countered in the 79th minute and added another goal in the 84th to separate itself from the Fighting Hawks, 3-1, but UND did not go quietly into the night in the Willamette Valley.
McNitt slipped North Dakota's second goal of the night past goalkeeper Bridgette Skiba, who entered the match with only three goals allowed in 561 minutes of play (.480 goals against average). The Fighting Hawks became the first team in 2021 to score multiple goals on the Beavers this season.
Unfortunately, the Fighting Hawks could not equalize again as time expired, and OSU matched its best start to the season in program history at 8-0. The performance was made all the more impressive as North Dakota played eight newcomers during the match, including five starters. UND played 17 total student-athletes in the match.
The Fighting Hawks will close its weekend in the Pacific Northwest on Sunday when it heads The Bluff at the University of Portland. The match at Merlo Field will kickoff at 3 p.m. Central.
