Bison soccer season ends with loss at Summit League playoffs

Herd drops a 2-1 extra-time decision to Oral Roberts

The North Dakota State University soccer team lost their first-round match to the Golden Eagles of Oral Roberts University 2-1 at the Summit League Championships held in Denver, Colo., last Friday. It took ORU extra time to put the Bison away, but they ended NDSU’s season to advance and face the host school, the Denver Pioneers, in the semi-finals.

            In the 106th minute, Oral Roberts would have a shot hit the post that was initially held off the line by Kelsey Kallio, but Kennedy Langebartels would get a toe to the ball and get it over the line to put the Golden Eagles in front.

            While it was the Bison who had the early scoring opportunities, the Golden Eagles scored first. In the 32nd minute, Samantha See headed a ball in from close range to put the Golden Eagles in front. Langebartels played a ball to the left side and Kristi Keller sent a cross in to See, who headed the ball into the right corner from inside the 6-yard box.

NDSU forward Olivia Lovick battles two Oral Roberts defenders for control during the first round of the Summit League Championships at the Denver Soccer Complex in Denver, Colo. ORU defeated NDSU 2-1 in extra time. (C. Morgan Engel/Clarkson Creative Photography)

            NDSU’s Paige Goaley opened the second half by capitalizing on a deflection and leveled the game at 1-1 just 50 seconds into the half. Lavin Douglass played a long ball forward from the left side of midfield that ORU’s Louisa Ramsauer attempted to clear, but Goaley deflected the ball from close range and the ball bounced nicely to the junior forward, as she tucked it away for her team-leading seventh goal of the season.

            Both teams had opportunities in the first period of extra time but could not capitalize forcing a second extra period.

            In a post-game interview with the Summit League, ORU head coach Austin Risenhoover gave NDSU credit for really pushing the tempo. “You know, I give Mike (NDSU head coach Regan) and North Dakota State a ton of credit,” Risenhoover said. “When they came to our place earlier this year, I thought we were in control. Today…their tempo, their energy, they controlled much of this game.”

            North Dakota State finished their season at 8-9-3 and 4-5 in the Summit League.

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