Photo by Chris Baylor
Crete, Neb. – The McPherson College women's soccer team kicked off their 2021 campaign with a 2-1 win, on the road, over the Doane University Tigers.
The Bulldogs came out strong, dictating play on the Tigers' home turf. They looked sharp and 14 minutes into the opening frame they got on the scoreboard when Lizette Loera (Fr. Mission, Texas) beat the Tiger defense on the left side and played a ball into the 18 yard box. Waiting there was Joran Bruner (Sr. McPherson, Kan.), who fought through a defender in the box and slotted the ball past the Tiger net minder.
The Bulldog goal seemed to wake up the Tigers and the pulse of the game seemed to change. The Tigers began to connect passes in the midfield putting increased pressure on the Bulldog defense. For the rest of the half, the Bulldogs were forced to play a lot more in their defensive third. Several times, the Tiger offense found their way in behind the Bulldog defense, but each time the Bulldogs had an answer. Part of the answer was goal keeper Lauren Kunda (So. Claremont, Calif.), who had herself a day in between the pipes.
Late in the first half she kept the Tigers off the board, making a brilliant one v one save from just outside the six yard box. In the second half she would face three more one v one situations and each time she came up with a huge save, keeping her team ahead on the scoreboard. In all she would finish the day with nine saves, securing the first win of her collegiate career.
Thanks to the play of Kunda in goal, the Bulldogs maintained their lead over the Tigers in the second half. In the 73rd minutes they got a much needed insurance goal. Vannesa Cisneros (Sr. North Highlands, Calif.) played a perfect ball into the 18 yard box to the right foot of teammate Emma Singleton (Sr. North Las Vegas, Nev.). Singleton received the ball in stride, and with the defender shielded on her left, drove the ball with her right foot past the Tiger goal keeper. That goal would prove to be huge as the Bulldogs ended up conceding a goal to the Tigers with under a minute remaining in regulation. The Tigers were unable to create any more late game magic and the Bulldogs moved to 1-0 on the season with the 2-1 victory.
Statistically, both team were nearly equal. The Bulldogs finished with 21 total shots, placing 12 on frame while the Tigers fired 20 shots, 10 of which were on goal. Each team attempted seven corner kicks while the Bulldogs had seven fouls to just four called on the Tigers.
"It was another interesting game with Doane," said Bulldog head coach Mark Olson. "I'm so proud of these players who have put in the hard work this year. We needed absolutely everyone today in dealing with the heat and they all stepped up." Olson went on to laud the play of Kunda saying, "Congratulations to Lauren for coming up with some big time saves and getting her first win as a starting keeper."
The Bulldogs will look to start a win streak, when they take the pitch again next Saturday against Texas A&M University-Texarkana on the road. Kickoff with the Eagles is set for 6:00 pm in Texarkana, Texas.
