Duluth, Minn. – The Saint Scholastica Women's soccer team hosted the Norse of Luther College in another non-conference double header today, August 31. Today's match-up ended with the Saints narrowly missing out on victory as the Norse netted a goal off of a corner kick in the second half to take the lead 1-0 that would remain for the rest of the match.
How it Happened
First Half
The Saints came out on the front foot, earning a corner kick less than a minute into the match. Their early pressure continued with shots from Kaitlyn Sautter (Princeton, MN./Princeton HS) and Tenley Voth (Farmington, MN/Farmington HS), before Peyton Mathiasen (St. Cloud, MN/St. Cloud Cathedral HS) forced Luther's goalkeeper into a diving save in the 14th minute. The Saint's attack kept rolling, with four corner kicks in the opening 15 minutes and multiple dangerous looks on goal.
Defensively, goalkeeper Rylee Senich (Cloquet, MN/Cloquet HS) anchored the back line, turning away quality Luther attempts, including a low shot in the second minute and a strike in the 18th. Senich recorded three first-half saves as the Saints held the Norse scoreless through the opening 45.
Second Half
Out of halftime, St. Scholastica continued to generate offense. Voth, Brooke Hedin (Rochester, MN/Century HS), and Anna Manion (Superior, WI/Superior HS) all placed shots on frame, while Jordyn Randa (Cloquet, MN/Esko HS) and Emily Carroll (Chisagio Lakes, MN/Chisagio Lakes HS) added fresh legs and attacking spark off the bench. Mathiasen nearly broke the deadlock in the 65th minute with a well-placed strike to the bottom corner, but Luther's keeper made another strong stop.
Senich stayed steady between the posts with three more saves in the second half, including key denials against the Norse offense. The Saints' defense, led by Lily Rippie (Inver Grove Heights, MN/Rosemount HS) and Hannah Holm (Elk River, MN/Elk River HS), held firm despite extended spells of Luther pressure.
The decisive moment came in the 77th minute, when Luther's offensive core converted on a feed from the corner. Even after falling behind, the Saints pushed for an equalizer, earning a late corner and firing shots from Carroll and Rippie that narrowly missed the target. The final buzzer sounded before the Saints could even the score, giving the Norse the 0-1 victory.
By the Numbers
- Shots: Saints 19 (7 on goal) to Luther's 15 (7 on goal)
- Corners: Saints 9, Luther 5
- Goalkeeping: Senich tallied 6 saves
What's Next
The Saints (0-1-1, 0-0 MIAC) will take to the road, heading to Platteville, Wis., to compete against the Pioneers (1-0) of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville in another non-conference match up on Friday, September 5. Game time is scheduled for 5 p.m.
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