University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
Drake
Panthers Open Conference Play with a 2-2 Tie
10/4/2014 1:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
WATERLOO, Iowa - On an extremely cold and windy evening, the University of Northern Iowa women's soccer team opened up conference play with a 2-2 tie against Drake.
Midway into the first half, junior midfielder Sarah McHugh scored the first goal of the evening off a corner kick from senior Charlotte Jones. It was McHugh's second goal of the season in as many games.
Normally for UNI, McHugh is utilized on corner kicks for her height advantage, however; off the Panthers' first corner, McHugh was able to put the ball to her feet and knock it into the bottom corner of the net.
Later on in the second half, UNI's Katie Witt was able to score her second goal of season off another corner kick from Jones. Much like Witt's game-winner against Grand View, Witt scored after crashing into the box and finding the loose ball for the score.
With a 2-0 deficit facing Drake, the Bulldogs began to claw their way back into the game.
Five minutes after Witt's goal, Drake's Rhian Pritchard scored her first goal of the season after receiving a pass into the box and drilling a shot into the upper corner of the net.
For the rest of the game, UNI and Drake would go back and forth between possession and shots as both teams would finish the half with eight shots.
With less than a minute left, following a shot against the Drake, the Bulldogs took the ball and dribbled down the field for a breakaway matchup between UNI's keeper Whitney Blunt and Drake's Rebecca Rodgers.
Rodgers sent a hard shot to Blunt's right-hand side where Blunt was able to just barely make the diving stop.
As Blunt dove and came up with the save, the ball bounced off Blunt's glove and wound up with Drake's Alex Freeman, who was able to put another shot back across the goal and into the net.
The Panthers would then go into their fifth overtime game of the season, but were unable to find a goal in the final two overtime periods.
UNI's Whitney Blunt posted seven saves on the night while Charlotte Jones posted her fourth and fifth assists on the season.
Up next for the Panthers, they look to continue conference play against Indiana State next Friday, Oct. 10 in Terre Haute, Indiana. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.
