Double OT decision goes to Southwestern in first spring action

By Jacob Knabel on Mar. 6, 2021 in Women's Soccer

WINFIELD, Kan. – Part two of the 2020-21 season is officially underway for the Concordia University Women’s Soccer team. With the GPAC and NAIA national tournaments moved to the spring semester, the Bulldogs are getting their feet back underneath them at a time that would normally be reserved purely for training and development. Not this spring. Concordia dropped a 1-0 double overtime decision at Southwestern College in Winfield, Kan., on Saturday (March 6).

Back in the fall, Head Coach Thomas Goines’ squad tied for second place in the GPAC regular season standings. The Bulldogs are 9-4-1 overall with the postseason looming at the beginning of April.

“We didn’t expect that we would probably play our cleanest game,” Goines said. “Certainly we struggled in the first half trying to get back to where we were in the fall. Second half looked a lot better and overtime we played fairly well. We got caught on a counter attack (on the golden goal).

“This game gave us a chance to put some responsibility on some younger players who haven’t had to deal with that. This was about the youngest team we’ve thrown out this year. They’re growing into it and hopefully learned something from it.”

From a statistical standpoint, Concordia dominated the second half. It owned a shot advantage of 10-1 during that 45-minute period, yet still could not manage to find the back of the net. That lack of execution left the Bulldogs vulnerable twice in the overtime sessions when they had breakdowns in the back. Goalkeeper Lindsey Carley saved one of those in the first overtime. However, the second occurrence resulted in the game winner in the 107th minute for Hailey Rouse.

Goines plans to have a different lineup next time out when more of the roster will be available. Despites some notable absences, Concordia mostly looked like the same well-organized defensive time team from the fall. The Moundbuilders (8-3) put only three shots on frame and registered just seven total shots.

Three Bulldogs made their first start of the season in Saturday’s game: Lina Kirst, Kadyn Lane and Lisa McClain. A total of 15 players saw action in the match. Concordia took 13 shots, including four on goal (one apiece by Aliyah Aldama, McClain, Cheyenne Smith and Michaela Twito).

Southwestern had also hosted Bacone College (Okla.) on Feb. 27 and won, 6-0. The Moundbuilders compete as a member of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference of the NAIA.

The Bulldogs will wait two weeks until playing at Benedictine College on Saturday, March 20. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. CT from Atchison, Kan. Concordia is also slate to host Grand View University (Iowa) On March 27 and Dakota Wesleyan (GPAC quarterfinals) on April 3.