GRAND FORKS, N.D. – Just as they’d done all season, the Jackrabbits’ women’s soccer program came through in the clutch Friday afternoon in a 2-1 double-overtime victory at North Dakota.
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GRAND FORKS, N.D. – Just as they’d done all season, the Jackrabbits’ women’s soccer program came through in the clutch Friday afternoon in a 2-1 double-overtime victory at North Dakota.
With time winding down at East Grand Forks Senior High, South Dakota State’s Darien Poelstra netted a game-winner in the 110th minute of action, helping the Jacks overcome a late equalizer on the road and claim the 2018 Summit League regular season title.
“I’m proud of our team,” SDSU head coach Brock Thompson said. “The game itself kind of symbolized the season as a whole. Our ability to stay positive and play with a high level of belief is quite remarkable and a testament to the character of our players.”
SDSU (12-5-1, 7-1 Summit) secured the No. 1 seed in next week’s league tournament with the victory, as Poelstra and Marisa Schulz recorded goals in the win. Schulz also picked up the assist on the game-winner after her initial shot deflected off the crossbar into Poelstra’s feet.
State dominated in the shot column, 26-8, and had 11 attempts on goal. Leah Manuleleua recorded a career-high 12 shots (six on goal) in the game to lead the Jacks, and Poelstra (four), Schulz (three) and Rachel Hewitt (two) had multiple shots in the game.
Maggie Smither played all 110 minutes between the pipes and recorded two saves.
An action-filled opening half saw both teams trade runs and near-misses, with UND having a corner kick deflect off the crossbar and a penalty kick for the Jacks skip left, but despite the back-and-forth play the teams went to the break in a 0-0 tie. SDSU had 14 shots in the opening period, putting six of those attacks on goal.
State broke through early in the second as Schulz netted the game’s first goal at 49:34. Off a counter attack, McLennan flicked a long ball to the corner for a charging Schulz, who took possession, beat a defender and fired into the back of the net from the left corner of the box.
Up 1-0, SDSU held the advantage until the 75th when the Fighting Hawks capitalized off an SDSU foul in the box for a penalty kick equalizer.
Back even at a goal apiece, SDSU pressed over the final 15 minutes of regulation but were unable to find the game-winner as the game went to overtime in a 1-1 tie.
The Jackrabbits picked up with they left off in the extra time, pressuring the UND defense early and often. That persistence paid off in the 110th, when Poelstra found herself in the right spot and finished off the win.
Game Notes: South Dakota State is now 8-3-1 all-time against North Dakota with a 6-1-1 mark in Division I play.
SDSU’s seniors own a 45-23-11 record over the last four years, including a 25-5-2 mark in Summit League play with two tournament championships, two regular season titles and a pair of trips to the NCAA Tournament thus far.
Darien Poelstra’s goal was SDSU’s fourth game-winner scored in the 90th minute or later this season.
The Jacks are now 22-16-43 in overtime matches as a program and 3-0-1 in those contests this year.
Up Next: South Dakota State hosts the 2018 Summit League Women’s Soccer Championships next week in Brookings, Nov. 1 and 3. The Jackrabbits will learn their opponent and game time Sunday evening after the regular season concludes.
