Jacks, Hawks draw in rain-drenched contest

Friday, September 15

Grand Forks, N.D.

3 p.m.

South Dakota State University

2-4-3

North Dakota

2-3-2

OT 3

OT 4

South Dakota State

North Dakota

Photo by: Mark Smither

9/15/2017 6:06:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

GRAND FORKS, North Dakota – Playing in a torrential downpour, South Dakota State women's soccer earned a 1-1 draw at North Dakota Friday.

The Jackrabbits are now 2-4-3 on the year and have picked up three ties in their last five games.

Weather impacted game flow throughout the 110-minute affair, as numerous runs for both teams were ended early with players turning the pitch into a slip-n-slide at times as conditions deteriorated.

"I thought our team handled the conditions very well," head coach Brock Thompson said. "I'm proud of their energy and fight. We're making progress in the attacking third of the field, but we need to find a way to finish some of our scoring chances we are generating."

Nicole Hatcher scored for SDSU while Leah Manuleleua and Carina McLennan recorded assists. The Jacks won the shot battle, 30-16, with a team-high five attempts coming from Annie Williams.

SDSU blitzed the Fighting Hawks early, getting a shot off in the opening 23 seconds before taking a 1-0 lead at 4:00. Off a UND clearance in the box, Manuleleua played the ball to the far side of the field for McLennan, who chipped a cross near the right post. Hatcher charged the net and finished on a one-touch goal.

State put up five more shots in the period, including a near miss from Rachel Hewitt in the 45th that was saved on a dive by UND's Catherine Klein, but the one-goal advantage held firm through the half.

Out of the break, the Jackrabbits again started fast with three shots in the opening moments of the period, but the Fighting Hawks used the aggressiveness to start a counter attack, finding an equalizer in the 54th from Katie Moller.

Tied up, South Dakota State regained its momentum and continued to press, but despite a 15-4 advantage in shots for the half, the teams stayed even at the end of regulation and headed for golden-goal overtime.

Kelsi Wipf nearly ended things for SDSU in the 93rd when her free kick from just outside the box ricocheted off the cross bar. The final 17 minutes of play were quiet, however, as the Jacks secured their third draw of the season.

Game Notes

SDSU is now 7-3-1 all-time against North Dakota. The Jacks are unbeaten against the Fighting Hawks in the last five games.
Nicole Hatcher scored her second goal in as many games and now has 14 career scores and 46 career points. She is 10 points shy of joining the Jackrabbits' top five for career points.
SDSU outshot UND, 15-4, in the second half.
Carina McLennan and Leah Manuleleua had their first career assists.
30 shots are the most by a Jackrabbit team since Oct. 25, 2015 when State had 29 against Fort Wayne.

Up Next
South Dakota State returns to Fishback Soccer Park Sunday to face Northern Colorado in its Hometown Heroes game. Kickoff is at Noon, with Brookings first responders and kids in fifth grade or younger receiving free admission.

-GoJacks.com-