VERMILLION, S.D. – The Drake University women's soccer team scored a pair of goals in the first half in a 2-2 tie against South Dakota at First Bank & Trust Soccer Complex on Thursday, Sept. 8. The Bulldogs have recorded back-to-back draws and are now 1-4-2 overall while the Coyotes have a similar record of 1-5-2. 
 
"We need to be tougher to score on if we are going to go on the road and win games," head coach Lindsey Horner said. "We didn't start well tonight but found our rhythm and began to control the end of the first half."
 
South Dakota struck first in the 9th minute when Lexi Wood hit a dagger into the top right corner of the goal from the 18-yard box after being set up perfectly by Janaina Zanin. 
 
The Bulldogs wasted no time to respond with a goal of their own by sophomore midfielder Avery Mertz in the 13th minute. Rachel Panther sent an excellent cross just outside the six-yard box to Mertz, who headed the ball over Coyote keeper Caroline Lewis for her first collegiate goal. 
 
Halfway through the first half, with help from senior goalkeeper Vianey Lopez, the Bulldogs combatted back-to-back well-executed corner kicks by South Dakota. Lopez deflected a sharply struck ball on the right side of the goal before defenders came hustling in. Lopez also blocked a corner kick that landed in the middle of the goal box.
 
The Drake offense continued to apply pressure with four shots in the final 32 minutes of the first half. Great defense leads to great offense. In the 33rd minute, Wood was left open with an opportunity to score for South Dakota, but her shot was blocked by a stifling Drake defense. 
 
Nearly three minutes later, sophomore midfielder Makenna Shepard split two Coyote defenders with fantastic ball control and fired a rocket into the top left corner of the net for her first goal of the season. Drake led at halftime, 2-1 with eight total shots (five on goal) and three saves by Lopez. 
 
A bad bounce near the beginning of the second half knotted the game, 2-2 in the 50th minute. Zanin was awarded a free kick and it deflected off the wall of Drake's defense, landing in the top right corner of the net. 
 
"It was unlucky to concede on a free kick that redirected off our wall but there were a flurry of corners and chances we had to defend after they equalized. I was quite proud that we didn't break and found a way to get back on the front foot to create some dangerous moments late in the second half."
 
The second half ended as a physical battle with both teams even throughout the final minutes. Drake finished the match with 11 shots with five on goal as Lopez grabbed four saves. 
 
"We came up here last year and didn't give a good account of ourselves," Horner said. "This year, we demonstrated our ability to play through the lines and create chances."
 
Drake women's soccer will travel next to Fargo, N.D., to battle the North Dakota State Bison in its non-conference finale on Sunday, Sept. 11 at 1 p.m.
 
NOTES 

• Avery Mertz scored her first collegiate goal on a header in the 13th minute. 
• The assist by Rachel Panther was her second of the season. 
• In her second appearance of the season, Makenna Shepard scored her fourth career goal as a Bulldog. 
• Drake is now 1-2-1 on the road this season as tonight marked the first time since September 25-29, 2021, that the Bulldogs have had back-to-back draws. 
• The 2-2 draw marked the first time that South Dakota and Drake have tied. The Bulldogs lead the all-time series, 7-4-1.