TAHLEQUAH, Okla. — Northeastern State University (5-1-0, 1-0-0) secured a 4-2 victory over Missouri Southern State University (2-3-1, 0-1-0) at home, with a decisive 31-10 shot advantage.
Bella Smith made seven saves, facing 31 shots in the match.
Jilliana Reese scored one goal on her only shot.
Gracie Groothuis contributed an assist in the game, marking her impact on the offensive play.
Talia Sanders added another goal, recording her shot on target.
The first half started with an aggressive attack from Northeastern, resulting in Brooke Dodd scoring in the 4th minute, assisted by Hannah Anderson. Smith, in goal for Missouri Southern, made a crucial penalty save against Sydney Taylor in the 20th minute, keeping the score within reach. Despite the defensive efforts, Northeastern doubled their lead in the 10th minute with a goal from Lilly Burkhardt, leaving Missouri Southern St. trailing 2-0 at the halftime break.
The second half commenced with Northeastern extending their lead early, as Olivia Burnes scored in the 47th minute, followed by Taylor's goal in the 52nd minute. Smith was pivotal for Missouri Southern St., making key saves at 48:54, 57:16, and 57:58, keeping the game within reach. Sanders sparked a comeback attempt with a goal at 58:42, assisted by
Presley Whitmire, and Reese added another goal at 60:50, assisted by Groothuis, to narrow the score to 4-2. Despite a late red card for
Regan McIntosh, the visiting team showed resilience in a challenging half.
