AUGUST 28, 2011
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - Sophomore Megan Fisher's (Ankeny, Iowa/Ankeny) goal in the
86th minute (85:04) sent the championship game at the Mortenson Mountain
Classic on Sunday (Aug. 28) into overtime where Drake (2-1-1) wasn't able to
capitalize for the second-consecutive contest as the Bulldogs earned a 1-1 double-overtime tie with Southern Utah
(2-1-1).
"We had control of the game in the first half, but had
problems in the final third making the right decision and getting shots on
frame," Drake head coach Lindsey Horner commented.
"Southern Utah worked hard and put us under pressure, but we have to
make teams do something special to score on us. It was somewhat deflating to
allow a soft goal so early in the second half but we showed a lot of character
to put a goal in the net. We have
some work to do before next weekend, but we are slowly improving."
The two sides battled through a scoreless tilt in the
initial stanza before Missy Lazcano gave the Thunderbirds a 1-0 advantage with
a goal 48 seconds (45:48) into the second half.
Southern Utah held the momentum until the 85:04 mark when
Fisher redirected the initial shot by junior Kasey Wellman (Northfield, Minn./Northfield) past
Thunderbirds' goalkeeper Charly Booth to square the contest at one. Senior Danielle Figliola (Longmont,
Colo./Silver Creek) also was credited with an assist on the goal.
Both sides had opportunities to net a game-winning tally in
overtime as Southern Utah registered a 5-4 advantage in shots in the bonus
sessions.
Each team was credited with 18 shots in the contest, including
a game-high four shots from junior Laura Moklestad (Des Moines, Iowa/Roosevelt). Drake also received three shots from
Figliola and two strikes apiece courtesy of Fisher, sophomore Ann Hoover (Nevada, Iowa/Nevada) and freshmen Katie Helmlinger (Cedar
Rapids, Iowa/Kennedy) and Ashlie Stokes (Sioux City, Iowa/Sioux City North). Lazcano paced the Thunderbirds with
three shots.
After equaling a career-best with 10 saves in Drake's 2-1
double-overtime win over Northern Arizona on Friday (Aug. 26), sophomore
goalkeeper Kalena Litch (Plymouth, Minn./Wayzata) registered
nine saves against Southern Utah.
Booth recorded four saves for the Thunderbirds.
The Bulldogs return to action on Friday (Sept. 2) as Drake
hosts South Dakota State in a 7:00 p.m. tilt at the Cownie Soccer Complex.
