By: Stephen Wagner
GREEN BAY, Wis. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) – The Green Bay women's soccer team opened the 2015 season this evening, visiting Northern Iowa at the Cedar Valley Soccer Complex in Waterloo, Iowa, holding the Panthers scoreless through regulation before allowing a goal in the sixth minute of overtime.
The match started off with both teams feeling each other out in the early goings, as the first eight shots were off target. The first shot on goal was recorded by Heidi Hartmann (Plymouth, Minn.) in the 21st minute and resulted in a save by UNI's keeper, Whitney Blunt.
The 27th minute gave Green Bay (0-1-0) a scare as the Panthers (1-0-0) recorded back-to-back corners, but the Phoenix defense held strong as both attempts were thwarted without a shot being recorded.
At the half, Green Bay and UNI were tied 0-0 with Green Bay holding a 3-2 SOG advantage. After returning to the field, the Phoenix fired off the next three shots of the match but was unable to find the back of the net on any of the attempts. The second period still found both teams scoreless, forcing an overtime period.
In the sixth minute of overtime, UNI's Annie Dale found the back of the net to eliminate Green Bay's hopes of opening the season with a victory. The game-winning goal for the Panthers came 5:54 into the first OT period, when the ball was deflected off the Green Bay goalkeeper Nastacia Behle (St. Paul, Mo.) and Dale directed it into the back of the net. Behle played an outstanding game despite the late goal, finishing with four saves on the night.
Green Bay held the advantage in corners 8-6, but was unable to convert any of the attempts into goals.
The Phoenix women will have a short break from competition before returning to the field on Sunday afternoon, facing off against South Dakota State at 1 p.m. in Brookings, S.D.
SCOUTING SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
SDSU finished with an overall record of 10-8-2 in 2014, paired with a conference record of 5-2-1 in the Summit League. The Jackrabbits were picked to finished second to only Denver in the 2015 Summit League preseason poll and brings back all 11 starters, five of which were 2014 all-league honorees, headlined by Summit League Offensive Player of the Year, Diana Potterveld.
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