BEMIDJI, Minn. - After keeping one of the highest-scoring offenses in the league off the board for more than 70 minutes, University of Sioux Falls surrendered a goal and fell 1-0 at regionally-ranked Bemidji State on Saturday. The Cougars fall to 3-10-3 overall with a 3-8-2 record in the NSIC.
Morgan Perkins stood tall in goal once again for the Cougars, stopping 13 of Bemidji State's 14 shots. The Sioux Falls defense kept them in the game once again and the 1-0 loss was USF's sixth one-goal defeat of the season.
Alexandria Scott started the Cougars off quickly with a shot on goal in the opening minute of the game, but BSU keeper Anna Fobbe stopped the effort. From that point on, the first half was all Beavers, who held a 10-3 edge in shots, with three on goal.
The USF defense held up against Bemidji State and Perkins was big in goal with three saves to keep BSU off the board. Scott recorded another shot on goal in the closing minutes of the first half, but it was again saved by Fobbe.
After Scott's third shot on goal was stopped in the 48th minute, Bemidji State controlled the game. The Beavers followed Scott's effort with two shots on goal in the next two minutes, but Perkins was up to task. Just after the 53rd minute, BSU launched two more shots and Perkins turned away both.
Bemidji State recorded two more shots that were stopped by Perkins between the 65th and 70th minutes and hit the post with a third in the 72nd. However, the shot that caromed off the post led the Beavers' game-winning goal, when Emma Brechlin put away the rebound for a 1-0 lead.
Before surrendering the goal, USF had held their opponents scoreless for 292 minutes, recording two shutouts and allowing just two total goals in the last four games.
Bemidji State recorded three more shots on goal after scoring and Perkins stopped all of them to finish with 13 saves on the afternoon. BSU held a 28-5 edge in total shots with half their shots on goal, giving them a 14-3 edge in shots on goal.
Carley Campbell and
Danielle Cooper were the only Cougars besides Scott to record shots in the game, but neither were able to put the effort on frame.
The Cougars enter their final week of the regular season in which they head to Wayne State for a 3 p.m. match on Friday, Oct. 28 then return to the USF Sports Complex for the season finale against cross-town rival Augustana on Sunday, Oct. 30.
