FARGO, N.D. – Top-seeded and three-time defending champion South Dakota State fell 2-0 to No. 4 seed North Dakota State in the Summit League Women’s Soccer Championship semifinals on Thursday afternoon at Dacotah Field.
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FARGO, N.D. – Top-seeded and three-time defending champion South Dakota State fell 2-0 to No. 4 seed North Dakota State in the Summit League Women’s Soccer Championship semifinals on Thursday afternoon at Dacotah Field.
The Jackrabbits had four shots on goal and outshot the Bison 17-5 overall; however, NDSU made the most of its two shots on goal.
Malley O’Brien scored on a header on an assist from Mallory Fenske in the 27th minute. SDSU had not allowed a goal in more than 624 minutes of game action prior to that.
Britney Monteon added a goal in the 71st minute, as Maddie Burnstein was credited with the assist.
Monica Polgar made four saves to earn the shutout win in goal.
SDSU’s Leah Manuleleua led all players with five shots, while Kyli Nelson, Tori Poole, Darien Poelstra and Julia Lam each had two.
Goalkeeper Maggie Smither played all 90 minutes in goal.
The Jackrabbits fired out of the gate with six attacks in the opening 20 minutes, but couldn’t break through the defense before falling behind midway through the period.
SDSU came close to an equalizer two times the rest of the half, but was stopped short both times. Darien Poelstra had a header that was saved by Polgar in the 35th minute; and with less than 5 minutes to go in the half, Lam took a through ball into the box, and though she put a shot on goal, Polgar got just enough of a hand on it to let it roll inches left of the post.
South Dakota State opened the second half with similar aggressiveness, but fell behind 2-0 in the 71st minute.
Over the final 19 minutes of regulation, the Jackrabbits looked to trim the deficit but were unable to extend the action as the season came to a close.
The Jackrabbits (11-5-3), who went 7-0 in regular-season league matches while outscoring their foes a combined 16-1, had their school-record unbeaten streak end at 11 and their winning streak snapped at nine.
North Dakota State (8-10), which fell 4-0 to SDSU on Sunday in Brookings, faces No. 2 Denver (10-8-1) – a 1-0 winner over No. 3 Oral Roberts (8-10-1) in the first semifinal – in the championship match Sunday at noon.
Photo from www.gojacks.com.
