The University of Minnesota Crookston (UMC) women’s soccer team opened its season with a 5-3 loss, extending their winless streak to 20 games, against Adams State (CO) in a match played in Nampa, Idaho on the campus of Northwest Nazarene University.
A frantic opening twenty minutes dictated the opening half of play. Just over eight minutes into the match Adams State’s Diana Cerillo (Soph., Denver, CO) beat Minnesota Crookston goalkeeper Olivia Puttin (Jr., Rogers) giving the Grizzlies a 1-0 lead. The Golden Eagles leveled the match seven minutes later when Maggee Hodgdon (Fr., Newberg, OR) converted a feed from Jessica Scott (Sr., Post Falls, ID) tying the match at 1-1. Minnesota Crookston gained the lead less than two minutes later at the 17:06 mark when Hodgdon netted her second goal of the half giving UMC a 2-1 lead. One minute later Adams State tied the back-and-forth first half with a goal by Natalie Wheelock (Sr., Coeur d’Alene, ID) evening things at 2-2 18:08 into the game. The score-line settled for the final twenty-seven minutes of the first half with the two sides taking a 2-2 score into halftime as each keeper managed four saves in the half.
Adams State dominated possession in the second half and finished the match with 14 corners to UMC’s 2 corners and outshooting the Golden Eagles 28 shots to 13 shots. The extra time on the ball resulted in a breakthrough goal in the 76th minute when Gia Barone (Soph., Las Vegas, NV) scored the Grizzlies’ third goal of the afternoon. Adams State broke through for two more goals adding to their lead as Natalie Wheelock scored in both the 82nd and 84th minutes to expand her side’s advantage to 5-2. Minnesota Crookston took one goal back when Jessica Withrow (Soph., Gardenville, NV) broke through the Grizzlies’ defense slotting a shot into the net cutting the deficit to 5-3. UMC’s comeback effort would end there as Adams State hung on for the 5-3 victory.
The Golden Eagles fall to 0-1 and will return to the pitch on Friday to take on Cal State-Monterey Bay at 11 a.m. in Nampa. Adams State improves to 1-0.
| 1st | 2nd | Final | |
| Adams State | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| UMC | 2 | 1 | 3 |
Scoring
8:11 – Adams State – Diana Cerillo (Carly Kading)
15:24 – UMC – Maggee Hodgdon
17:06 – UMC – Maggee Hodgdon
18:08 – Adams State – Natalie Wheelock
75:25 – Adams State – Gia Barone
81:07 – Adams State – Natalie Wheelock
83:32 – Adams State – Natalie Wheelock (Brenna Oakey)
84:10 – UMC – Jessica Withrow
| Saves | 1st | 2nd | Total |
| Corri Zaiger – Adams State | 4 | 2 | 6 |
| Olivia Putin – Minnesota Crookston | 4 | 12 | 16 |
