ST. LOUIS, Mo. – The Missouri S&T women's soccer team concluded their three-match road trip Sunday with a matchup opposite Maryville Sunday afternoon at the Maryville Soccer Field. The Miners (4-4-2, 3-3-2) and Saints (4-6-0, 3-5-0) played each other scoreless through the first 45 minutes of action, but a pair of goals early in the second half proved to be the difference for the Saints, as despite a late S&T goal, they held on to win by a final score of 2-1.
The Saints came out firing to start the match, managing six shot attempts in the first 16 minutes of play but of them found their mark.
Ally Hasken (Freeport, IL/Freeport) had a look at goal for the Miners in the 10th minute of action, but the shot was off target.
Kristin Steins (Ballwin, MO/Parkway South) was busy during the middle stages of the first half, making a trio of saves to keep Maryville off the scoreboard as the half came to a close with no score.
The first goals of the afternoon came in rapid succession in the opening moments of the second half, as the Saints scored twice in the first four minutes of play after the intermission to take the lead. The Miners tried to battle back throughout the half, but shots by
Sydney Gratz (Geneva, IL/Geneva),
Ashley Haag (Keller, TX/Keller Central) and
Danielle Hopkins (Naperville, IL/Neuqua Valley) were all turned away by the keeper as time wound down.
The Miners got on the board in the final five minutes of action, as Gratz found the net for the sixth time this season to halve the lead at 2-1, but the comeback was not meant to be as the Saints held on to take the 2-1 win.
Gratz led the Miners with four shots on goal while Steins made four saves in goal for S&T during the match. Despite outshooting Maryville 8-3 in the second half, the Miners were outshot in the game by the Saints 15-9.
The Miners return home to the Missouri S&T Soccer Field this week with a pair of matches, with defending GLVC Champion McKendree coming to town Friday October 15 for a 5 P.M. match.
