KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Drake University women's soccer team set the tone early in a 3-1 victory over Kansas City to open the season on Thursday, Aug. 18 at Durwood Soccer Stadium.
 
The Bulldogs wasted no time getting on the scoreboard to start the 2022 season. Junior forward Emma Nagel scored the first goal of the year just over a minute into the game for a quick 1-0 lead. Saint Louis University transfer Madelyn Smith contributed the assist. 
 
Nagel scored her second goal of the season within the first five minutes on a free kick punched into the bottom left corner of the net following a Kansas City foul. 

"We were thrilled with the way we started the game," head coach Lindsey Horner said. "We knew Kansas City would be expansive and if we didn't care of the ball we would expend a lot of energy getting the ball back."
 
The Roos cut Drake's 2-0 lead in half after sophomore forward Madison Paige lifted the ball into the left side of the goal off of an assist by junior Anna Jennings in the 10th minute. The score remained 2-1 in favor of the visiting Bulldogs at halftime.
 
Drake was on the defensive in the second half until the 60th minute when the Bulldogs pushed into Kansas City territory. Freshman Maia Bentley sent the ball to fellow freshman Layla Kelbel, who went one-on-one with the goalkeeper and kept with her shot after having it deflected. Kelbel scored her first collegiate goal off of the second bounce to increase Drake's lead to 3-1. 
 
"We were on our heels at the end of the first half and to start the second half," Horner said. "The third goal essentially ended the game. To score three goals and get some younger players in the stat sheet including Layla Kelbel and Madelyn Smith is a great way to start the season. We were really pleased to get our six Kansas City area kids on the field today in front their friends and families."
 
Drake locked down on defense to hold Kansas City scoreless in the second half as Vianney Lopez collected three saves. Drake defeated Kansas City, 3-1 for its seventh all-time win against the Roos. 
 
The Bulldogs will travel back to Drake Stadium in Des Moines for their home opener versus Saint Louis on Sunday, Aug. 21 at 1 p.m. 
 
Notes
- Nagel joins Hannah Wilder as the only Bulldogs to score two goals in a season opening victory. 
 
- This is the third season opening victory for Drake women's soccer since 2002, the last season opening victory came in 2016. 
 
- Nagel proved to be an offensive threat as she scored two goals in the opening five minutes to build off her four total goals from last season, which ranked second most on the team a year ago.