McPherson, Kan. – The Bulldogs returned to McPherson Stadium on Saturday for a matchup against the Ottawa University Braves. Ottawa entered the contest looking for a rebound after a midweek draw with Avila, while McPherson aimed to build on Wednesday's dominant 6-0 win over Bethany.
The Basics
Location: Paul Family Field at McPherson Stadium
Score: MC 3, OU 0
Records: MC 5-3-3 (KCAC 3-2-1), OU 2-6-2 (KCAC 1-4-1)
How it Happened
Playing into the wind in the first half, the Bulldogs were forced to defend for much of the opening 45 minutes as Ottawa capitalized on the conditions to keep the ball in McPherson's half. The Braves nearly broke through with a free kick that rattled off the crossbar, and continued to press with seven shots and four corner kicks before halftime. McPherson, meanwhile, was held without a shot or corner in the first period.
The tide turned in the second half with the wind now at the Bulldogs' backs. In the 51
st minute,
Alyssa Hill put McPherson on the board, finishing calmly off of a perfectly timed pass from
Arianna Diaz. After the restart, the Bulldogs continued to press, generating two more shots on goal in quick secession. Ottawa stayed dangerous, forcing
Emily Singletary to make five saves to preserve the Bulldogs lead.
In the 67
th minute
Ayden Jones received the first yellow card of the game after a hard challenge in the midfield. A few minutes later, Diaz doubled McPherson's lead, picking the pocket of an Ottawa defender before lofting a shot over the goalkeeper's head and into the net.
The Bulldogs added one more in the 83
rd minute when Jones was brought down in the box resulting in a yellow card for Ottawa's Kyndel Adams and a penalty kick for the Bulldogs. Hill converted from the spot for her second goal of the day, sealing the win.
The Bulldogs finished with nine shots, five corner kicks, and six saves from Singletary to post their second consecutive shutout.
Up Next
McPherson will travel to Bartlesville, Oklahoma on Friday to take on Oklahoma Wesleyan University. Kickoff is slated for 5:00 PM.
