Late goals propel NDSU to back-to-back 1 – 0 victories
Late goals by Olivia Watson and Lavin Douglass led the Bison to a sweep in their opening homestand of the 2022 season. On Friday night, the Bison defeated the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay 1 – 0 and wrapped up the homestand on Sunday with another 1 – 0 win over Drake University on Senior Day. The Bison now move to 4-2-2 on the year surpassing last year’s win total of three after only eight contests. As the Summit League schedule approaches, the Bison appear to be ready for the start of Summit League play.
Watson, the sophomore forward/midfielder from Moorhead, Minn., tallied in the 73rd minute of the second half to give the Bison a 1 – 0 lead over the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay on Friday night. They would hold onto that lead to start the homestand with a win in front of 522 fans at historic Dacotah Field. The goal was unassisted.
Watson scored from close range following a rebound left from a diving save by Green Bay (2-3-0) goalie, Bailey Weimann. NDSU’s Paige Goaley set the scoring play up when she pushed the ball up to the penalty area before cutting to the right and firing a shot to the bottom right corner from 19-yards out. The rebound was deflected out in front of Watson, who poked it in with her left foot underneath a diving Weimann from four yards out.
“Paige (Gaoley) was dribbling up the back line and after her shot, I saw it was a good opportunity to press the goalkeeper,” Watson explained. “Our scouting said she bobbled the ball a lot, and I got lucky enough to get a quick touch on it and it rolled right past her.”
NDSU’s junior goalie Abby Wilkinson, got the win for the Herd making three saves. She is now 1 – 1 – 1 on the year.
On a perfect weather day on Sunday, senior midfielder Lavin Douglass, from Hastings, Minn., repeated the feat against the University of Drake Bulldogs. In the 80th minute, Douglass turned and pushed a right-footed shot past Drake goalkeeper Vianey Lopez. The goal sent the Bison faithful of 407 into a frenzy.
Kelsey Kallio sent in a corner that was knocked down by the Drake defense and landed at the feet of NDSU’s Alicia Nead. Nead then played the ball through a cluster of Bulldog defenders and ended up at the feet of Douglass. The senior then turned and put the ball past Drake goalkeeper Vianey Lopez and in the back of the net to break the scoreless deadlock. Nead earned an assist on the goal.
Keeper Sofia Howe earned the win for the Bison. She is now 2 – 0 – 1.
“We got a little bit robbed on the first corner kick of the game, (5th minute of 1st half), I mean we put it past the line, and I was standing on the end line, so I saw it go in,” Douglass said. “So, we knew this one was going in and as a player so close to the keeper, I was not going to let anything else happen but the ball going to the back of the net.”
Heading back on the road for their final non-conference tune-up before Summit League play begins, Head Coach Mike Regan was upbeat about where his team stands. “My team is in a place where we have a significant culture off the field and we have been working to get a matching culture on the field,” Regan said. “I actually wasn’t that happy with the way we played on Friday I think we can play better, but today was a great example of us really leaving it out there.”
Next, the Bison face the University of Idaho on Friday, Sep. 16th at 8 p.m. in Moscow, Idaho and the University of Montana in Missoula, Mont., on the following Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
The Herd will be back home on September 30th to open the home portion of their league schedule. They will face the St. Thomas Tommies at 8 p.m. Friday and host the University of Western Illinois Leathernecks on Sunday, Oct. 2nd at 1 p.m. Both games are at historic Dacotah Field. Student tickets are available at GoBison.com/Students.