Weber State University Athletics
Weber State University
Northern Colorado
Wildcat soccer drop home Big Sky tilt to Bears
10/4/2014 12:52:00 AM | Women's Soccer
OGDEN, Utah – For 90 minutes on Friday afternoon the Wildcats dominated play, possession and chances.
It unfortunately didn't add up to the result they were seeking.
Northern Colorado defeated the Weber State University women's soccer team for the first time since 2009, claiming a 3-1 Big Sky Conference victory at Wildcat Soccer Field.
“I was happy with how our team played today, we were just unlucky in a few key moments,” Weber State coach Tim Crompton said. “If we continue to play at that level, the tide will turn for us.”
Unlucky was about the best way to describe it for the Wildcats, who held better than 60 percent possession and outshot the Bears 21-14, including a 13-3 clip in the second half.
Northern Colorado (1-1-0 Big Sky, 6-5-1 overall) opened up the scoring in the 11th minute when Juliana Grover slid through the Weber State defense and hit a one-on-one shot from the 18 to make it 1-0.
The Wildcats didn't take any time answering, with junior central defender Brecken Holbrook heading home a corner kick from junior forward Mackenzie Harrison just 71 seconds later to make it 1-1.
Weber State appeared in complete control of the contest follow its equalizer, pinning Northern Colorado deep in its own half of the field for large stretches of time until a turnover near midfield turned into a two-on-one fast break that ended up with Rebecca Lancia punching in a shot from distance to make it 2-1.
Picking up right where it left off late in the first half, the Wildcats dominated the Bears in the second half, relentlessly attacking in search of an equalizer.
Weber State's best chance came in the 70th minute when Harrison broke through the Northern Colorado defense, but Bears' goalkeeper Kaitlin Ruff got just enough of the attempt to deflect it and a follow-up attempt from redshirt freshman defender Alexa MacGoldrick went wide.
Northern Colorado didn't register its first shot of the seconde half until the 77th minute, but unfortunately for the Purple and White, it ended up being a dagger, as Adrienne Jordan scored from 15 out to make it 3-1.
Harrison had another one-on-one opportunity in the 79th minute, senior midfielder Mackenzie Peck rang one off the cross bar and senior midfielder Kendra Smith had a shot deep in the box blocked as the Bears hung on to preserve the win.
Weber State (0-3-0 Big Sky, 3-9-0 overall) will face North Dakota on Sunday. UND faced Idaho State, falling 1-0 to the Bengals in Pocatello, Idaho, on Friday afternoon.
