KEARNEY, Neb. - The Northwest Missouri State University women's soccer team nabbed a 2-1 road victory Sunday against the Nebraska-Kearney Lopers.
Northwest extended its unbeaten streak to three games with the triumph over UNK. Northwest is 2-3-2 in MIAA matches and 2-7-3 overall. UNK is 1-5-2 in MIAA matches and 3-7-4 overall. Northwest is unbeaten against UNK in the last seven meetings between the two programs with the Bearcats holding a 4-0-3 edge.
Savanna Reitsma gave UNK a 1-0 lead with less than three minutes left in the opening half. Northwest scored the equalizer from Lydia McVey in the final minute of the first half.Â
The Bearcats scored the game-winner when Mallory Arehart centered a pass in front of the UNK goal that ricocheted off a Loper defender for an own goal. The own goal occurred with less than 12 minutes remaining in the matchup and proved to be the game-winner.
The Bearcats went to halftime tied 1-1 after earning nine corner kicks and getting Lydia McVey's late equalizer. The visitors opened with three corners in the first five minutes, while Taryn Lewis saved Neb.-Kearney's first two shots on goal in the ninth and 12th minutes. Northwest continued to press through the middle of the half, as Julia Coacher, Ximena Arnau, Lillie Shaw and McVey forced saves and Norah Oyler and Rachel Davis sent attempts wide while five more corners came between the 16th and 32nd minutes. Neb.-Kearney went ahead on Savanna Reitsma's goal at 42:19, but McVey answered at 44:08 to send the match to the break even.
Northwest took the lead in the 79th minute, with a team goal at 78:24 turning a 1-1 match into a 2-1 advantage. Earlier in the second half, the Bearcats worked through a foul-heavy stretch that included four fouls against the visitors in less than 10 minutes, while Lewis kept the match level with a save in the 55th minute. Northwest later generated pressure from set pieces, earning corner kicks at 69:12, 69:43 and 77:02, with Davis also putting a shot wide during that sequence. After going in front, the Bearcats added another corner in the 82nd minute and held through Neb.-Kearney's late corner opportunity to finish off the 2-1 win.
McVey scored and finished with three shots, including two on goal. Lewis played all 90 minutes in goal and made four saves.
The victory gives Northwest eight points in the MIAA standings, tying them for eighth place with Northeastern State.
Northwest will travel to Pittsburg State on Thursday for its next action.
