ST. PAUL, Minn.- The University of Northwestern Women's Soccer team won their second consecutive UMAC game on Saturday when they defeated an extremely high quality Bethany Lutheran Vikings squad. The Eagles fell behind 1-0 but rallied to win the game 2-1 to move to 3-0-2 in conference play.
Bethany Lutheran, who was picked in the preseason to be near the top of the UMAC standings in 2022, got off to a good start at Reynolds Field when they scored in only the eighth minute. The Vikings executed a corner kick to perfection to take a 1-0 lead.
However, despite the early deficit, the Eagles did not get rattled and continued to play their brand of soccer. UNW did not score in the first half and trailed at the halftime break, but they had controlled the first half by outshooting the Vikings 8-3 in the opening 45 minutes. In the second half, the Eagles would begin to see the fruits of their labor.
Less than seven minutes into the second half, the Eagles delivered the equalizer. UNW charged forward, led by
Megan Moeller (Sheboygan, Wis./Sheboygan Christian School) who fired multiple shots at the Vikings' goalkeeper. The Eagles' barrage of shots paid off as one of the rebounds bounced to
Haley Mersberger (Kiel, Wisc./Elkhart Lake Glenbeulah). The Eagles' leading scorer knew exactly what to do with it as she buried it in the back of the net to tie the game at one goal apiece. The goal was Mersberger's eighth of the season.
The game would remain tied for the next ten-plus minutes of play until the 65
th minute when the Eagles would score the deciding goal. This time it was the Eagles who executed a corner kick perfectly as
Mya Chan (Brandon, S.D./Homeschool) delivered the set piece into the box.
Megan Moeller (Sheboygan, Wis./Sheboygan Christian School) got her head to it and scored her sixth goal of the season to put the Eagles on top for good. UNW won the contest 2-1.
The Eagles played quite possibly their best and most complete game of the season so far. UNW outshot BLC 20-7 and had seven shots on goal to the Vikings' five.
Reagan Flaschberger (Shoreview, Minn./Centennial) had four saves in net for the Eagles.
The Eagles will play their final nonconference game of the season on Monday, October 3
rd at Reynolds Field. The game is set to begin at 7:00 P.M.
