MONMOUTH, Ore. – A second half goal by Piper Matson helped even the score as the Western Oregon University women's soccer team against Montana State Billings on Saturday. The Wolves had a few more chances in the second half to take the lead, but the game eventually went to overtime with the teams finishing in a 1-1 draw in Great Northwest Athletic Conference action at the WOU Soccer Field.
"It was a hard-fought battle today. We asked the girls at halftime to come out with a higher press against their back line and that's what led to Piper's goal," head coach Kacey Bingham said. "Last week we went down a goal and never got back into the game. It was great to see that even after going down we can battle back. We went undefeated this week and this young team is growing so much with every game."
Overall for the match, each team tallied nine shots, with the Yellowjackets holding a slight 6-5 edge in shots on goal. MSUB generated six corner kicks to five for the Wolves and there were 25 combined fouls whistled in the game, 13 called on WOU.
Several players played at least 90 minutes in the double-overtime contest including Liz Parker, Lilly Nowatzke, Matson, Hannah Rispler, Erika Gonzalez Moreno, Jada Foster, Camille Darland, Gabby Pulliam and Briana Kubli. Emily Wheeler started in goal and played all 110 minutes coming away with five saves. Smith led the offense with three shots.
In the first half, Montana State Billings (4-3-2, 1-2-1 GNAC) came out recording a shot on goal in the third minute and had a couple of early corner kicks. WOU (2-5-1, 1-2-1 GNAC) had a couple of looks near the 10-minute mark when Rispler took a header shot that was saved by Clare Keenan.
Around the 29th minute, Wheeler came up with another save to keep the game scoreless. In the 36th minute, the 'Jackets got on the board first when Sydney Torres scored off an assist by Maddie Smith.
Kubli and Darland each tallied shots over the final minutes of the half with Kubli's shot being saved to keep the game 1-0 in favor of MSUB at the break.
Following an early chance by the Yellowjackets off a corner kick to start the second half, Matson picked up the equalizer scoring her second goal of the season in the 52nd minute.
Smith nearly put WOU ahead just over a minute later that was saved by Keenan. Gonzalez-Moreno and Smith had a couple of close chances in the 73rd minute as Gonzalez-Moreno's shot was saved and Smith's went just wide.
Over the final 10 minutes of regulation, Wheeler came up with a save on Lexie Bloyder and then another with just a few minutes left on a shot by Haylee Gunter to keep the game tied and into overtime.
In the first overtime, the Yellowjackets had a shot a few minutes in that was blocked and a couple of minutes after that, Wheeler recorded another save on a shot by Gunter. Outside of a corner kick chance by the 'Jackets in the 97th minute, there were no more shots the remainder of the first overtime and sent the match into a second 10-minute OT.
In the second OT, WOU had an early chance but were called offsides. MSUB had a shot that went wide left in the 108th minute and after a few close rushes by the Wolves didn't result in shots, the game ended up finishing in a 1-1 draw.
Bloyder, Gunter, Liberty Palmer and Torres all tallied two shots to lead MSUB. Keenan started in goal and played all 110 minutes coming away with four saves.
WOU will hit the road this coming week playing at Central Washington on Thursday starting at 7 p.m. before closing the week on Saturday at Northwest Nazarene beginning at 1 p.m. (Pacific).
