Weber State University Athletics
Weber State University
Northern Arizona
'Cats, 'Jacks draw 1-1 in Big Sky play
10/9/2011 11:10:00 PM | Women's Soccer
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - Opening the Big Sky Conference season with three consecutive road matches was a seemingly tall order for the Weber State University women's soccer team.
The Wildcats, however, were up for the task.
Sophomore forward Sarah Mager scored her first goal of the season and the Wildcats' battled to the final whistle to earn a 1-1 tie with Northern Arizona on Sunday afternoon at Lumberjack Stadium.
The result moves Weber State to 2-0-1 (7 points) in Big Sky action, keeping them level with Portland State (2-0-1, 7) atop the league table. Northern Arizona, the defending conference regular season champion and preseason favorite, is 1-1-1 (4 points).
The Lumberjacks (2-8-5 overall) opened the match strongly, recording 10 shots in the opening half, but placed just two on goal. The Wildcats put both of their first half shot on frame, and then seized command of the match in the second half.
Weber State outshot Northern Arizona 7-1 in the second half, including a 4-1 margin on frame.
Senior midfielder Emily Freshman earned her first assist of the season on Mager's goal, centering the ball for the Roy, Utah native, who knocked it into the left side for the 1-0 lead.
NAU equalized in the 76th minute when leading scorer Sam Monahan took a lead pass from Diane Buzzard and touched it into the net.
Both teams recorded three shots during the two 10-minute overtimes, but neither was able to convert before the final whistle.
Weber State was called offside nine times during the match as Northern Arizona constantly tried to run an offside trapping defense.
The Wildcats will return home this week to face Montana (1-1-1, 4 points Big Sky) at 3 p.m. on Thursday in their Big Sky Conference home opener, before hosting Eastern Washington (0-3-0, 0) at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday.
