NEW ULM, Minn. - The Martin Luther College women's soccer team lost its home opener to Bethany Lutheran College (BLC) 2-1 on Thursday.
The two teams battled in a physical, hard fought game, and the Knights were able to take the first lead thanks to a goal by
Erika Rosenbaum off a pass from
Tabitha Vannieuwenhoven in the 27th minute.
That lead stood for only a few minutes until the Vikings' Maddie Perry was able to get free on a break away and score in the 31st minute to send the game into halftime tied at 1-1.
Perry struck again for the Vikings early in the second half as she got free up the middle off a pass from Sydney Vrieze in the 51st minute, giving BLC the one-goal advantage.
MLC had its chances in the second half to get the equalizer. Vannieuwenhoven had a great look from just inside the box that hit the cross bar in the 65th minute, and BLC keeper Zoe Kinackin stopped
Hannah Schroeder's point blank attempt in the 88th minute to seal the win for the Vikings.
Both teams finished the game with nine shots on goal, with MLC keeper
Mollie Fischer stopping seven of BLC's nine attempts. Schroeder led the MLC offensive attack with six total shots, including five on goal.
The Knights fell to 0-2 on the season and 0-2 in UMAC play in defeat. BLC moved to 1-0 overall and in league play in its first action this season.
MLC will return to action on Saturday, April 10, when it hosts St. Scholastica in a game scheduled to start at 1 p.m.
