Late SNU score forces 1-1 tie with East Central
Oct. 24—The East Central University soccer team battled Southern Nazarene to a 1-1 draw on Saturday on Senior Day at Tiger Soccer Field,
East Central fell to 1-9-4 overall and 1-3-4 in Great American Conference action, while SNU escaped at 8-3-3 and 4-2-2,
The Tigers looked to flip the script on the Crimson Storm after falling 1-0 in the final minutes on Sept. 30 earlier this season.
After both teams traded blows in the first half, with ECU (1-3-4 GAC) hanging on to the ball the majority of the time and several scoring chances, the Tigers were awarded a penalty kick in the 19th minute which Tanja Bauboeck successfully converted for her second goal of the season to put the Tigers up 1-0, a lead they would hold going into halftime.
Out of the break, ECU's and SNU's defense put on the pressure as the Crimson Storm were probing for an equalizer while the Tigers were looking to keep SNU off the scoreboard. But an SNU shot by Bella Morgas in the 75th minute managed to find the back of the net to level the game 1-1.
McKenna Leveling picked up the work in the remaining minutes making three crucial saves, including one in the 87th minute, to prevent the Crimson Storm from doing any more damage, and the game would eventually end in the 1-1 gridlock.
Both teams played a back-and-forth match and posted nearly identical stats.
ECU registered a total of 17 shots, with seven of them on target while SNU fired 15 with six landing on goal. Leveling and SNU goalie Gianna Bonnett each allowed a goal. Leveling recorded five saves and Bonnett ended up with six saves.
Although the ECU soccer team has two more home games left in the season, the Tigers honored its seniors — Madelyn Bird, Isabella Lopez, Madison Hays, Lorianne Baugh, Claudia Garcia and Tanja Bauboeck — before the start of the contest.
The Tigers will make the trek to Alva on Wednesday to battle Northwestern Oklahoma State University. That match is set to begin at 5 p.m.
