GRAND FORKS, N.D. - Overcoming a 1-0 halftime deficit, the Drake women's soccer team registered three unanswered goals in the second half to collect a 3-1 victory over North Dakota on Friday (Aug. 27).

The win was the first the season for the Bulldogs pushing their ledger to 1-0-2, while the Fighting Sioux dropped to 0-2.

"The game today was extremely physical," Drake head coach Lindsey Horner commented.  "We had some great chances in the first half against the wind, but the longer we didn't score the harder the game felt and North Dakota battled and pressed to end the half.  Being down at halftime, our team showed a lot of character to respond and put three away.  We showed the capacity to adjust to the demands of the game and that is what excites me the most."

Drake fell behind in the 42nd minute (41:35) when Francie Piche connected on her first goal of the season to give North Dakota a 1-0 advantage.

Freshman Brittany Schuling (Bondurant, Iowa/Bondurant-Farrar) evened the affair at one nailing a penalty kick at the 56:41 mark.  The goal represented the first of the season for the Bulldogs.

The lead grew to 2-1 in the 74th minute (73:29) when Paige Dusek (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles North) capitalized on a feed from sophomore Kasey Wellman (Northfield, Minn./Northfield).

Junior Danielle Figliola (Longmont, Colo./Silver Creek) capped the scoring with an unassisted goal at the 77:48 mark.

Drake outshot North Dakota in the tilt, 18-12, including 13-5 in the second half.

Wellman paced the Bulldogs with a game-high five shots, while senior Bailey Dorrington (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Xavier), Schuling, Figliola, Dusek and junior Lindsey Johnston (Lincoln, Neb./Southeast) chipped in two shots apiece.

Rachel Loomis directed the Fighting Sioux with five shots.

Freshman Kalena Litch (Plymouth, Minn./Wayzata) pulled in five saves for Drake, while Monica Stierman registered 10 stops for North Dakota.

The Bulldogs return to action on Sunday (Aug. 29) with a 1:00 p.m. match at South Dakota State.