GREEN BAY, Wis. (GreenBayPhoenix.com)– The Green Bay Phoenix (0-2-0) took on the North Dakota State Bison (1-0-0) this afternoon at the new Aldo Santaga Stadium, taking a hard defeat of 4-1.
 
The first half was full of action, with the first goal scored by the Bison in the 13^th minute with a long kick up the field to an open forward, who crossed the ball into the center for the Bison to tap the ball into the goal.
 
Only five minutes afterward, the Phoenix got their chance to score. Freshman McKayla Kertscher sped the ball up the field and passed it to senior Alycia Wright, who took the opportunity to shoot the ball around the goalie and into the net.
 
North Dakota State came back with two more goals, however, as Green Bay struggled to adapt to the Bison's strategy. The third goal had a similar setup as the first, with the opponent taking advantage of the Phoenix's defense not being entirely in position at the back of the field. In the first half, North Dakota State had 15 total shots, compared to Green Bay's 5, showing the inability for the Phoenix to keep up.
 
The second half was a different story, with the home team recharging after their 15-minute break, picking up the pace, and being able to have several counterattacks on the Bison and bring the shot count nearly even. This time around, the Phoenix had several more shots on goal, but most of these ended up too high or wide due to pressure of the opposing defense.
 
Kertscher led multiple charges in the match, leading the Phoenix with two shots on goal and one assist. For the first time in her career, freshman Taylor Reichow was in goal for the Phoenix during the entire second half of the game, and only allowed one goal toward the end of the match.
 
GOAL SUMMARY
13' | NDSU | Holly Enderle (Assist: Mariah Haberle) The ball was kicked from the opposing defensive line up to an open Haberle, who had time to cross it to Enderle, who tapped it into the goal.
 
18' | GB | Wright (Assist: Kertscher) The freshman weaved up the field and passed to Wright, who kicked the ball around the goalie, who narrowly missed the save.
 
27' | NDSU | Hanna Norman (Assist: Roxy Roemer) Roemer took a corner kick and set the ball up in the center of the box, where Norman headed it into the net.
 
29' | NDSU | Haberle (Assist: Roemer) Haberle was the open player this time that Roemer passed to, taking the ball close to the goal and past Klatt.
 
77' | GB | Marian Taiwo (Unassisted) Taiwo broke away from the defense and ran up to Reichow, who was out of the box, kicking the ball out of her reach and into the net.
 
STARTING XI
Green Bay: 1-Klatt (GK), 6-Minor, 7-Messner, 9-Sanchez, 10-Kertscher, 12-Courier, 13-Etling, 16-Pfeilstifter, 17-Katzenberger, 20-Wright, 25-Benzschawel
 
North Dakota State: 1-Polgar (GK), 2-Norman, 4-Roemer, 8-Enderle, 10-Algera, 12-Haberle, 14-Fenske, 15-O'Brien, 16-Jasper, 17-Stuber, 29-Burnstein
 
NEXT MATCH
Opponent: at Michigan State University
Location: East Lansing, Mich.
Date: Thursday, August 23
Time: 1:00 p.m.
 
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