ST. PAUL, Minn. – In a cold, rainy night game, the Concordia-St. Paul soccer team (7-2-3, 4-2-3 NSIC) fell to #22 Minnesota State (10-1-1, 8-0-1) by a score of 3-1. Despite the loss, the Golden Bears remain in fifth place in the NSIC, two conference points ahead of the next four teams, who are all tied for sixth with 13 points.
This was the team's first loss in regulation time and the only time this season that they have given up more than one goal in a game. Through 12 games, the Bears have allowed only seven goals and are second in the conference in goals allowed average, allowing an average of 0.58 goals per game.
The game got off to a good start for Concordia, as senior
Jordan Rowan-Stafford scored in the seventh minute to give CSP an early 1-0 lead. Rowan-Stafford took advantage of a cross from junior
Hannah Pavek that set her up with an open shot. The Oakdale native did not waste the chance, as she buried it, giving the Bears some early momentum.
This was Rowan-Stafford's third goal of the season and 14
th of her career, which puts her tied for eighth on CSP's list of all-time leading scorers. Pavek added her first assist of the season on the play and the second of her career.
The Mavericks answered in the 19
th minute, as Dakota Wendell found an open Molly Riley, who put it in the bottom right of the net to even up the game at one apiece. Minnesota State would score again in the 28
th minute, giving them a 2-1 advantage heading into the halftime break.
MSU held a slight edge in shots throughout the first half, holding a 5-4 advantage in shots and a 3-2 edge in shots on goal.
The Mavericks would continue their offensive pressure in the second half, firing eight shots throughout the final 45 minutes. They scored again in the 51
st minute when Wendell fired a rocket that went just over goalie
Emily Nelson, to give MSU a 3-1 lead.
The Golden Bears put together some more aggressive offensive plays towards the end of the half and sophomore
Haleigh Bares fired a shot on net, put the attempts fell short as time expired.
Junior
Jordyn Clark made the start in net for the Golden Bears and recorded her first loss of the year. She is now 5-1-2 on the season. Clark and Nelson combined for three saves on the night.
The Bears continue their busy week with road games against #5 Bemidji State and Minnesota Crookston on Friday, October 12
th and Sunday, October 14
th. Friday's game in Bemidji is set to start at 3 p.m. and CSP will face Minnesota Crookston on Sunday at 1 p.m. Live stat and video links can be found at the top of the page or on the soccer schedule page.
