Wildcats Net Three Second Half Goals to Earn Season-Opening Victory
| Final | 1 | 2 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Culver-Stockton (MO) (1-0-0, 0-0) | 2 | 3 | 5 |
|
Northwestern (0-2-0, 0-0) | 3 | 1 | 4 |
The Culver-Stockton College women's soccer team scored three goals in the final 30 minutes of regulation to cap a 5-4 season-opening victory over Northwestern (Iowa) College Wednesday afternoon at the NWC Soccer Complex in Orange City, Iowa.
The Wildcats, who have now won seven straight season openers, fell behind 3-0 in the opening 30 minutes of the opening half before netting two goals of their own to cut the deficit to 3-2 at the halftime break.
Alayna Chandler-Gutierrez notched the first of her two goals in the game in the 35th minute to put C-SC on the scoreboard and cut the lead to 3-1. Ellie Wiehardt assisted on the Chandler-Gutirrez goal.
Three minutes later, Halle Jennex pulled the Wildcats to within one goal with an unassisted goal in the 38th minute of the half. C-SC was outshot 12-6 by the Raiders in the opening 45 minutes despite have a 7-2 edge corner kicks.
Northwestern made it 4-1 eight minutes into the second half before the Wildcats started their comeback.
Freshman Lexi Clark took a pass from Jennex to scored her first collegiate goal and cut the lead to 4-3 in the 60th minute.
Chandler-Gutierrez registered an unassisted goal in the 69th minute for her second tally of the game to pull the Wildcats even at 4-4.
Northwestern nearly took a 5-4 lead in the 76th minute when Avril Baccam hit the cross bar and came out. Kylie Baccam picked up the rebound and fired wide to keep the game tied.
C-SC took its first lead of the game in the 83rd minute when Anyssa Prieto made a long run up the right sideline. A pass to Clark led to a scoring opportunity for the freshman from Pacific, Mo., when the Raider goalkeeper misplayed the ball.
With the ball rolling toward the goal line, Prieto beat NWC goalkeeper Genesis Maldonado to the ball and punched it into the net for the game-winner.
Northwestern outshot the Wildcats 23-21 in the game; however, C-SC held a 14-6 edge in corner kicks. The Raiders committed 11 fouls in the contest while C-SC had nine infractions.
Rian Moore led all C-SC players with seven shots overall, including two on goal, while Chandler-Gutierrez had six shots overall and five on goal.
The Wildcats are scheduled to play their home opener next Wednesday, Aug. 28, against Stephens College. Game time is slated for 7 p.m. at Ellison Poulton Stadium.