Soccer | 9.7.15
ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Concordia Golden Bears soccer team (0-2) both opens up NSIC play and closes out the non-conference slate this week as they remain at home to face #4 Minnesota State on Thursday night at 7 p.m. and Viterbo University on Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m.
The Golden Bears showed some promise in the opening weekend of the season but were unable to come up with any points as they fell 4-1 to Central Oklahoma on Friday and dropped a 2-1 decision against Southwestern Oklahoma State on Saturday.
After falling behind 2-0 early in the second half on Friday night,
McKenzie Buck netted the first goal of the season to put pressure on the Bronchos but it wouldn't last as freshman Kentia Kokis netted her second and third goals of the game to give UCO a 4-1 victory.
Concordia got off to a strong start on Sunday as they quickly took the lead in the eighth minute as freshman
Katri Gifford fired a shot that deflected into the back of the net for her first career goal in just her second game. Junior
Kaitlyn Halvorson and freshman
Jade Weller also earned their first point in a Golden Bear uniform as they collected the assists on the goal. The Bulldogs of SWOSU wouldn't go away though as they battled back with a goal midway through the first half and another in the second half to secure the 2-1 win over CSP.
The Golden Bears head into Thursday night's match looking to make history against one of the top programs in the NSIC as they look to collect their first win in 12 tries in the all-time series with the Mavericks. It will be no small task as Minnesota State enters the season on a 15-match winning streak in NSIC play dating back to a 1-0 loss back in November 2013 against Winona State. Prior to that loss, the MSU unbeaten streak in conference play dated back to the 2011 season as the Mavericks have lost just one NSIC game over the past three seasons.
While the Mavericks enter into the season as one of the most dominant programs over the past few seasons, Concordia-St. Paul will be up to the challenge. The Golden Bears haven't made things easy on Minnesota State over the past few years as MSU snuck away with a 1-0 win in St. Paul two years ago and went into the half even at 0-0 last year before the Mavericks scored three in the second half to pull away.
Sunday's match will provide a bit of a different challenge as the Golden Bears host NAIA foe Viterbo in their final non-conference game of the season. The V-Hawks put up a tough test last season as they knocked off CSP 2-0 in La Crosse in a hotly contested game. The Golden Bears are 1-4 all-time against Viterbo with their only win coming in a 3-0 victory back in 2001. Traditionally a strong NAIA program, the V-Hawks have gotten off to a bit of a slow start as they have opened the season with a 1-5 record.
Come out to watch the Golden Bears in person at Sea Foam Stadium, watch live online at cugoldenbears.com/watch or follow along with live stats at cugoldenbears.com/livesoc.
