Soccer wins wild league opener

Friday, September 28

Fort Wayne, Ind.

6 p.m.

South Dakota State University

6-4-1, 1-0-0

Purdue Fort Wayne

3-5-3, 0-1-0

South Dakota State

Purdue Fort Wayne

BROOKINGS, SD, SEPTEMBER 10: xxxxxxxxxxx (Dave Eggen/Inertia)

Photo by: Dave Eggen/Inertia

9/28/2018 8:26:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – South Dakota State women's soccer opened Summit League play with a 2-1 victory Friday evening over Purdue Fort Wayne, surviving a wild finish that saw two goals and a blocked penalty kick in the final 10 minutes of action.

The Jackrabbits improved to 6-4-3 (1-0 Summit League) with the win, using goals from Hannah Evans and Marisa Schulz to sneak past the Mastodons.

"It was a great lesson for our team today, that the game of soccer can turn on any play," head coach Brock Thompson said. "Credit Purdue Fort Wayne for finding the equalizer late, but what a response from our team and a big-time goal for Marisa."

Evans gave SDSU the first-half lead with a goal in the 39th minute, taking possession off a failed Purdue Fort Wayne clearance before beating a defender and finding the back of the net.

That score held until the 80th, when the 'Dons came through with an equalizer on a breakaway goal by Kayla Wisniewski. The late goal did not phase the Jacks, however, and less than 30 seconds later Schulz scored the game-winner at 81:19 from outside the 18-yard box, ripping a shot past the keeper for the eventual game-winner.

The momentum swings continued, however, when SDSU was called for a foul in the box to give Purdue Fort Wayne a penalty kick opportunity in the 84th. Goalkeeper Maggie Smither stepped up in the clutch, though, and tipped the shot over the crossbar to keep the lead intact for the Jacks.

Smither finished the game with five saves as the backstop of a defense that held Fort Wayne to 10 shots on the night.

Up Next
South Dakota State wraps up the weekend Sunday at Western Illinois. The Jackrabbits and Leathernecks kick off at noon.

-GoJacks.com-