Mavs soccer clinches 1-1 tie vs. St. Cloud State

John LaForest
Staff Writer

The Women’s soccer team played St. Cloud State in St. Cloud, MN last Sunday afternoon, where the physical play of the team was not enough to rattle the cage of the Mavericks, leading to a 1-1 draw between both teams. 

This was the first tie of the season for the team coming into the game with a 5-1 record on the year. The team is also undefeated in the conference with a 3-0-1 record after the tie with St. Cloud. 

Throughout the first half, the Mavs were in full control owning the time of possession throughout the first 25 minutes. 

Senior forward Julia Zach connected first-blood for the Mavs in the 18th minute of the game, which provided cushion for the team early. The goal brought her season total to three. 

Unfortunately for the team, the Mavs lead was short lived as Hannah Marion of St. Cloud State countered with a strike of her own in the 26th minute, and what turned out to be the final goal of the game.

The Mavs may have controlled the possession, but the physical play was advantage home team. St. Cloud hit the Mavericks in the mouth throughout the first half with the physical play. 

As the game progressed, the physical play didn’t seem to weather the visiting team. The Mavericks adapted the style of play, and held the home team from scoring another goal. 

At the end of regulation, the game was tied and lead to a pair of 10-minute overtimes. The visiting team controlled the tempo of the game while being in attack mode for all of overtime.

Even with the many opportunities late in the game, the Mavs still couldn’t convert them into scores, leading them to go scoreless in the extra time. The reason for the scoreless game doesn’t go all to the players.

The wind picked up in the latter portion of the second half, with an immense visual impact on the flow of the game. 

The game was a close one but the team can take away a lot of positives just from the chances that they were given. Four players had at least two shots on net, which paced the squads 9-4 in favor of the visiting team. 

In the end, this is just one game for the team with the overall progression of the season going very well.

The Mavericks will have a chance to stay in first place with two upcoming home games this week against the University of St. Mary on Friday 3 p.m. and at noon on Sunday versus Minot State.

Feature photo by Gage Cureton | MSU Reporter.