Mini-Scorijng Slump Stifled In Win Over Gustavus
MOORHEAD, Minn. (9/18/11)—It took Concordia less than nine minutes to break out of their mini-scoring drought en route to a 5-0 win over Gustavus in Moorhead on Sunday. CC received multiple-point performances from Sarah Rounds, Gina Weiss and Liz Robinson as they remain unbeaten on the year, moving to 4-0-2 overall and 1-0-1 in the MIAC.
Concordia entered the Sunday matinee on the heels of a 0-0 overtime at Hamline in the conference opener and in the midst of 145-minute scoreless streak. That changed from the opening tap as the Cobbers started the game with a renewed conviction to attacking the net in the final third of the field. That determination paid off in the ninth minute when the freshman tandem of Marta Prosinski and Robinson teamed up to give CC a 1-0 lead. Robinson's pass sprung Prosinski behind the Gustie defense and Prosinski calmly slotted the ball into the net for her second goal of the season.
The Cobbers would add to their lead with two more strikes before the end of the first half. Weiss netted her first goal of the year when she tapped in a cross from Rounds. Rounds collected the ball from CC goalie Ali Nelson and then drove down the left wing. She turned the corner on the left wing at the top of the penalty area and then drove the ball across the face of the goal to an oncoming Weiss. It was Nelson's second career assist.
Rounds was the recipient of a penalty kick call in the 29th minute. Concordia was awarded the spot kick after wing midfielder Rochelle Hickerson beat her defender on the left side and dribbled inside the penalty area. The Gustavus goalie came out to try and collect the ball but wound up tripping Hickerson before she was able to get to the ball. Rounds stepped up and drove the ball into the net on the PK to pick up her team-leading fifth goal of the year.
It was more of the same for CC in the second half as they were able to control the ball in the middle of the field and take advantage of their attacking mentality around the box. Rounds recorded her second goal of the game at the 64:09 mark. Once again the CC offense was able to take advantage of a vulnerable left wing. Rounds received the ball after a quick passing combination in the middle of the park from Weiss and Robinson. She then took several dribbles and unleashed a shot into the upper left corner of the net from 20 yards out.
The scoring table was completed when Cobber back-up goalie Haley Haddock scored her first collegiate goal at 83:35. Haddock, who has been playing the field in order to give CC more depth up front, finished off a shot from six yards out after Killashandra Link had crossed the ball from the right wing. Freshman Chelsea Klemetson started the scoring play by finding Link on the right side of the field.
Concordia dominated the game in shots and shots on goal. CC held a 22-2 margin in overall shots and a 13-2 edge in shots on goal. Nelson stopped both shots she faced to collect her third shutout of the season and 21st of her career.
The Cobbers will now have six days to prepare for defending regular-season champion Carleton. The two top-tier rivals will square off on Saturday, Sept. 24 at 2 p.m. in Northfield.
