Eastus’ late goal lifts UNI soccer to thrilling 3-2 victory over Omaha

Sunday, September 3

Cedar Falls, Iowa

11 a.m.

University of Northern Iowa

5-0-1, 0-0-0

Omaha

2-3-1, 0-0-0

Omaha

UNI

Photo by: Joshua Dinkelman

Eastus’ late goal lifts UNI soccer to thrilling 3-2 victory over Omaha

9/3/2023 2:36:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score FINAL RESULTS Photo Gallery

Harrington matches career assists record, UNI extends unbeaten streak to program-best six matches.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa --- UNI soccer snatched perhaps its most impressive win of the 2023 season on Sunday afternoon, downing Omaha 3-2 in a back-and-forth thriller. The Mavericks, a 2022 NCAA Tournament participant, scored two second-half goals to erase a 2-0 UNI lead before Maddie Eastus knocked in the game winning goal in the 83rd minute.

The Panthers continued their unbeaten start to the 2023 season and are now tied with the 2017 squad for the longest unbeaten streak in program history. UNI improved to 5-0-1 with Sunday's win and are guaranteed to end the weekend in first place in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC).

"What a great game today," said UNI head coach Bruce Erickson. "Two quality teams getting after it. Liked our resilience after conceding the tying goal and searching for the winning goal. Our depth was outstanding today and we scored some great goals, too."

After a cagey opening 25 minutes in which scoring opportunities were hard to come by, the Panthers opened the scoring in the 26th minute with a left-footed curler from Ashley Harrington. Olivia Bohl recorded her first career assist and point in the process by sliding a pass forward to Harrington, who had her back facing goal. Harrington received the pass, turned and cut past a defender before finding the back of the net from the top of the 18-yard box. The goal was the second of the season for Harrington.

Right before halftime, Morgan Barnette doubled UNI's advantage with a fantastic individual effort in the 44th minute for her second career score. Barnette's pressure forced an errant backwards pass from a Maverick defender, and she sprinted to the loose ball and slotted it past Maverick goalkeeper Emma Konsmo to give the Panthers a 2-0 lead at the break.

However, the first 25 minutes of the second half belonged to the Mavericks. Cece Behrens started Omaha's comeback in the 50th minute, pouncing on a rebound following a save from Caitlin Richards. Behrens fired home the loose ball to cut the lead to 2-1. Harrington did force a diving stop from Konsmo in the 55th minute with a strike from distance, but UNI continued to feel pressure from Omaha's attack.

Sophia Green equalized the match in the 71st minute, cutting inside and firing a low shot past Richards from the right side of the penalty area.

The Panthers responded perfectly in the face of adversity and immediately began pushing for a late winner. Harrington fired a shot from distance over the goal in the 75th minute and Eastus rattled the crossbar in the 77th minute with a long-range effort that fizzed past Konsmo.

Then, in the 83rd minute, the Panthers found the match-winning moment. Harrington got on the end of a ball near the right endline and lofted it towards the back post. The ball evaded Konsmo and a Maverick defender before meeting Eastus in stride with a completely empty goal to aim for. Eastus smartly steered the ball in with her knee to give UNI a 3-2 lead.

UNI's defense in goal held strong as Richards deflected a potential match-tying goal by the Mavericks in the final second to secure the one-goal victory for the Panthers.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

Sunday's victory snapped a three-match winless streak for UNI against Omaha. The Panthers' last victory in the series came in 2017 which, coincidentally, also came in the midst of a six-match unbeaten streak.
The win officially matched the 2017 UNI squad for the longest unbeaten streak in program history. That squad, also coached by Erickson, began the season with six consecutive wins before losing to Montana 2-1. With a tie or a win against South Dakota on Thursday, the 2023 UNI team can officially secure the longest unbeaten streak in program history.
Eastus' 83rd minute goal was her third of the 2023 campaign, tying her with Lauren Heinsch for the second most goals on the team.
Harrington's assist on Eastus' game-winning goal in the 83rd minute was not only Harrington's first assist of the 2023 season, it also placed her closer to program history. The assist was the 12th of Harrington's career, placing her in a tie with Hannah McDevitt (2015-18) for the most career assists in Panther soccer history.
Harrington also moved into a tie with McDevitt for the most career games with an assist in program history (12). With a goal and an assist in Sunday's win, Harrington is now sixth in program history in career points (30) and tied for sixth in games with a point (16).
Head coach Bruce Erickson recorded his 48th career win at UNI on Sunday afternoon. Erickson, the winningest coach in program history, is two wins away from becoming the first Panther soccer coach to reach 50 career wins at UNI.

UP NEXT
With program history on the line, UNI travels to South Dakota for another non-conference showdown on Thursday, Sept. 7. Kickoff is at 4 p.m. CT and the game can be streamed on the Summit League Network.