By: Stephen Wagner
GREEN BAY, Wis. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) – Green Bay welcomed Cleveland State to Aldo Santaga Stadium Saturday afternoon, looking to hand the Vikings' (7-4-1, 3-0-0) its first loss in the 2015 league slate. The match was highly contested with both teams limiting each other's scoring opportunities, but Cleveland State turned in a header from Kaila Sargema in the 71st minute to collect the lead and eventually hand Green Bay (2-10-0, 0-4-0) a 1-0 defeat.
The match developed rather slowly on Saturday afternoon on Aldo Santaga, as both teams combined for two shots inside the match's first 10 minutes. The first shot on goal in the afternoon contest was turned in by CSU's McKenna Vento and end with Green Bay's keeper Kelly Kent rising above the Vikings' offense to punch the ball out of harm's way.
The Phoenix defense looked unbeatable from the 15th minute to the 17th minute in the opening half, as the team combined to turn away five shots in the in the two-minute stretch.
Later in the half, Green Bay put a string of four-straight shots together ranging from late in the 38th minute to the early stages of the 40th, placing three of them on the Vikings' goal. The Phoenix offense attacked from multiple angles in the stretch, with each of the four shots coming from a different foot on the Phoenix roster.
The early stages of the first half mirrored the first half, as neither team had many quality chances to find mesh in the early phases. However, the Cleveland State offense was able to seize a 1-0 advantage over the Phoenix in the 71st minute, when Kaila Sargema netted her fourth goal of the season on a header off of a corner from Katie Bainbridge.
Green Bay searched for the equalizer as time was winding down at Santaga Stadium but was unable to muster up the tying goal, eventually falling 1-0 to Cleveland State.
Despite allowing one goal, Kelly Kent did a masterful job protecting the Phoenix net in the contest and recorded six saves in the contest, two of which were in one-on-one situations.
Green Bay recorded 12 shots and placed five on goal in the afternoon matchup, compared to CSU's 14 shots with seven on goal. Junior Katie Schulz recorded three shots in the contest and placed two of them on the Vikings' net.
The Green Bay women's soccer team will have a week away from competitive action, as the team travels to Youngstown, Ohio next weekend to continue Horizon League play with Youngstown State on Saturday at noon.
###
For the latest and most up-to-date information on Green Bay Athletics and Green Bay Women's Soccer, please visit GreenBayPhoenix.com.
Follow us on Twitter: @GBPhoenix and @gbphoenixwsoc.
Like Green Bay Phoenix Athletics and Green Bay Phoenix Women's Soccer on Facebook.
