Women's Soccer Falls at Tabor

HILLSBORO, Kan. --- The McPherson College women's soccer team dropped a tough 2-1 decision to rival Tabor College in a Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) tie Wednesday night at Joel H. Wiens Stadium.

The Bulldogs (5-3, 1-2 KCAC) had three prime chances to score in the game's first 10 minutes but could not convert as a shot by Dina Der Vartanian (Sierra Madre, Calif.) ricocheted off the crossbar in the fifth minute and a subsequent shot by Cydney Lewis (Ottawa, Kan.) was snagged by Bluejay keeper Carly Rowan. Less than five minutes later, a shot by Astrid Alvarez (Flagstaff, Ariz.) was blocked by Tabor's Jordan Walters.

McPherson looked poised for another chance at a goal with a corner kick in the 22nd minute, but the corner attempt was cleared by the Bluejays over the Bulldog back line. Dakota Spencer grabbed the ball on a breakaway and sent a shot past McPherson keeper Sheryl Evans (Nassau, Bahamas) to give Tabor (6-4, 2-1 KCAC) a 1-0 lead.

The Bluejays doubled the lead less than 10 minutes laster as Darrian Gonzalez emerged from a scramble in the box and fired a shot past Evans for the 2-0 lead. 

The Bulldogs cut into the lead just before halftime as Lewis used a toe poke to beat Rowan and make 2-1 at the break.

McPherson out-shot Tabor, 15-12, including 8-6 in a scoreless second half. Six of the Bulldogs' nine shots on goal also came in the final 45 minutes, but none would find their way past Rowan, who finished with eight saves.

Evans was credited with four saves, including three in the second half.

Lewis racked up a match-high six shots, including five that found the frame, to lead the Bulldogs. Der Vartanian added three shots and Alvarez had two. Heather Diamond (Lake Forest, Calif.), Danielle Kakebeen (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.), Emma Van Donselaar (Overland Park, Kan.) and Bereniz Velazquez (Orange, Calif.) were also credited for a shot in the match.

Spencer and Gonzalez had three shots each to lead Tabor, while Hannah Armand added a pair of shots.

"We can't continue to make simple mistakes that teams are capitalizing on," said head coach Doug Quint.

The Bulldogs return home Saturday, October 8 to face Friends University at 12:30 p.m. in The Kennel.