SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Every goal scored on Wednesday (Oct. 5) night came during the second half in what resulted in a narrow loss for the Concordia University Women’s Soccer team. The Bulldogs left Sioux City, Iowa, with a 2-1 defeat despite owning a 1-0 second half advantage thanks to the goal scored by freshman Savannah Andrews. It was a measure of revenge for host Morningside, which dropped a 2-1 overtime decision last season in Seward.
Head Coach Thomas Goines’ squad slipped to 7-2-2 overall and to 2-2-2 in league play. Concordia’s all-time record versus the Mustangs stands at 14-11.
“Any time you play Morningside at their place you know it’s going to be a tough game,” Goines said. “We knew we were playing a well-coached, well-organized team. We took the game on the front foot in the first half and thought we did well to control large portions of the half. It opened up a little more in the second half. It was a bit of a tactical battle. Unfortunately, they had two good finishes where they made us pay for leaving them open at the top of the box. We had our chances to score on the other side.”
A freshman from Gretna, Neb., Andrews unleashed a strike from the top of the 18-yard box that supplied a 1-0 lead early in the second half on Wednesday night. After a quite first half for Morningside on the attack, it came alive at an opportune time. The Mustangs got a goal from Sina Feeser at the 67-minute mark and then one from Mia Stoffel at the 79-minute mark. Morningside (6-4-1, 3-2-1 GPAC) finished with a slight edge in shots, 13-11.
The Bulldogs had missed their chance to increase the margin for error. It was an evening of near misses for lightning quick striker Kierstynn Garner, whose athleticism led to her nearly burning the Mustang center backs. She fired four shots, including two on goal. Andrews also had a crack at another goal and a number of crosses just didn’t quite connect.
In goal, Kalie Ward was credited with six saves in her 90 minutes. It was another homecoming for defender Allee Downing, a Sioux City native. Downing played in the 67th game of her collegiate career. Like most games in 2022, Goines’ lineup exclusively featured freshmen and seniors. Despite the result on Wednesday, Concordia believes it’s messing as a unit and still has the potential to be a dangerous side down the stretch of GPAC play.
Said Goines, “We’re a blend of experience and youth and we’ve had some highs and lows. Our team has grown so much from 1-to-34 this season. We have to find a way to grind out results. The losses have put a little stress on our season, but we haven’t had a game yet this season where we weren’t either equally matched or in control of the game. I’m excited for the next opportunity and the chance to continue to grow.”
The Bulldogs will be back at home on Saturday to welcome Jamestown (7-4-1, 6-0 GPAC) to Seward. Kickoff is set for 5:30 p.m. CT from Bulldog Stadium, where Concordia has gone 3-0-1 this season. Last season’s meeting in North Dakota resulted in a 1-0 win for the Jimmies, the 2021 GPAC regular season champions.