ROLLA, Mo. – Facing one of the stingiest defensive teams in the Great Lakes Valley Conference, Missouri S&T's women's soccer team was able to puncture Drury for a goal late in the first half and ended up earning a 1-1 tie with the Panthers at the S&T Soccer Field on Sunday afternoon.
Paige VanDaele (Cottleville, MO/Francis Howell Central) scored out of a scramble in front of the net with just six seconds remaining in the first half to even the score, then played to a scoreless draw over the final 45 minutes to earn the tie as the Miners extended their unbeaten streak to three games.
Drury got on the scoreboard in the eighth minute of play when Tara Simon got a downfield and cut across the middle of the field before hitting a shot from the top of the box past S&T goalkeeper
Viktoria Johnson (Granite City, IL/Granite City). The score remained that way until the final seconds of the first half, when after the Miners (1-5-4, 1-4-2 GLVC) sent a ball in front, VanDaele got to the loose ball in front of the net and hit it past Kaitlin Knetzke to tie the contest.
VanDaele's goal was only the third allowed this season by the Panthers (5-1-4, 2-1-3 GLVC) in 10 games.
The Panthers outshot S&T 15-9 for the game, but the difference was only 7-6 in Drury's favor in the second half. Johnson made four saves in goal for S&T.
The Miners will close out their three-game homestand Friday when they host Missouri-St. Louis at 7:30 p.m. at Allgood-Bailey Stadium.
