Box ScoreWeatherford, Okla. – On a cool Sunday afternoon, the Bulldogs hosted Minot State at the SWOSU Athletic Complex. The game was a rematch of the 2012 NCAA II Tournament first round that saw the Bulldogs come out 3-0 victors.
Olivia Butler opened the scoring for the Bulldogs before the Beavers pulled one back before the half. Through the second half and two extra time periods, neither team would find the game winning goal.
After being held goalless in their season opener on Friday, the Bulldogs came out much more positive in Sunday's match. Almost immediately after the opening whistle blew,
Cori Kelly found herself through all alone with only Minot State keeper Gemma Biasetto to beat. Kelly put in a low shot, but Biasetto was equal to it and the ball went out for a corner.
Alyssa Bagley provided the restart from the corner flag, but it sailed over the box.
Shortly after that attacking foray, freshman
Ryle Danker intercepted a failed clearance from the Beavers' defense midway down the right hand side of the field. Danker spotted fellow freshman
Olivia Butler making a back post run and sent in a diagonal ball. Butler was able to beat her defender to the ball and put in a low, bouncing shot that got the better of Biasetto, nestling into the bottom right corner of the goal. The 14th minute goal was the first of Butler's career on her first career start.
The Bulldogs enjoyed the majority of possession over the next 30 minutes of play, with the Beavers only really threatening on the counter. In the 44
th minute,
Maya Hay was called for a foul in a dangerous area in front of goal. Jamie Ayala hit an out-swinging kick into the box, which fell to the feet of Taylor Bachman-Williams for the goal.
On the restart for the second half, the Bulldogs came out on the back foot as Minot State pressed for the lead. Eventually
Randa Castleberry and
Charlotte Eastman were able to regain the backline's composure after
Courtney Flores pulled off a tremendous double save and
Lauren Williams cleared the ball off the goal line to preserve the tie. The next 20 minutes saw neither team really threaten to go ahead.
Then, with 15 minutes remaining, Minot sent in a dangerous corner that was headed down at Flores' feet. She dropped quickly to the ground for the save. On the 81st minute, Jamie MacFarlane looked to have broken through for a one on one with Flores, but Danker committed a smart, professional foul to deny the opportunity. She would receive a yellow card for her efforts. The Bulldogs would finish the half unleashing three shots at the Beavers' goal, but none of them gave the Bulldogs the winning goal.
Tied 1-1 through two halves, the teams went to golden goal extra time to find a winner. The first extra time period saw the Bulldogs again provide a staunch defensive effort that ensured none of the Beavers' three shots truly threatened to go in. Kelly would also get one shot off, but it was blocked.
Weary legs were the tale of the second extra period, with only one shot between the two teams. With five minutes remaining in the game, Ayala took a hopeful shot that went well wide of the goal. The Bulldogs would see out the remaining time without much threat of either team scoring.
Action resumes Friday when the Bulldogs travel to Edmond, Okla. to take on the University of Central Oklahoma Bronchos at 4 PM.
