SIOUX FALLS — With another outstanding defensive effort, the University of Sioux Falls Soccer Team (4-6-1, 3-4-1 NSIC) battled Concordia-St.Paul (6-1-3, 3-1-3 NSIC) to a 0-0 overtime decision in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action on Friday afternoon at the USF Sports Complex.
With the tie, the Cougars moved to 3-4-1 and remained in an eighth place tie with Winona State in the NSIC. USF continued to show improvement after a 1-5 start to the season. In the past five matches, USF has gone 3-1-1 with a 5-to-3 goal differential. In addition, USF improved to 3-2-1 at home.
Against CSP, USF junior goalkeeper
Brayden Paul continued her excellence play in the net. For the second straight match, she shutout an opponent. Paul has not allowed a goal over the past 206 minutes and 38 seconds of competition. Bemidji State scored a goal against her late in USF's 1-0 setback three matches ago. In the past five matches, she has recorded 29 saves, allowed three goals and lowered her goal allowed average to 1.69.
Against CSP, which has lost just once in league play and rank sixth in the standings, Paul recorded nine saves as the USF defense faced 28 total shots but held the Golden Bears off the scoreboard.
USF totaled one shot on goal during the contest off the foot of sophomore midfielder
Kassidy Graber. However Graber's shot was stopped by the CSP goalkeeper Jordyn Clark. USF senior forward
Chessa Novotny added two shots, which both sailed wide, as the Cougar offense totaled seven shots during the match.
While the Golden Bears registered 19 shots in regulation, USF's outstanding back line of defense held them at bay. During the overtime periods, CSP had the offensive edge over USF by recording nine shots to none for USF as Paul registered three game-saving stops.
USF will turn around and face a tough Minnesota State team that was picked to finish first in the NSIC Preseason Coaches Poll on Sunday, Oct.7 for a 1 pm match. MSU (7-1-1) defeated the Cougars, 4-0 earlier this season in a preseason exhibition match.
