Ariy-El Boynton

A muddy field. Large gusts of wind. Lots of rain. Huge puddles. Heavy uniforms. Bitter cold temperatures.

All were the case when the SDSU women’s soccer team took on rival North Dakota State on Oct.18 for the last home match of the season.

In the second “Golden goal” overtime, Chelsea Goosen scored her game-winner via a pass by a streaking Tory Schiltgen to forward Danni Healy. Healy made a beautiful left foot touch, which Goosen first took to her left then switched back to her right and booted the ball from 25 feet to net the goal. The game ender at the 105-minute mark sent her teammates onto the field for the celebration in the very wet and muddy game.

“Chelsea Goosen is a good player,” Jacks junior Kellie Van Gerpen said. “She’s scored many goals for us in the past, so it was nice to see that come around again in this game.”

A goal by Bison freshman Quin Ryan, with just over 20 minutes to go in the first half, made NDSU go ahead 1-0 in the early running. SDSU’s goalkeeper Nicole Lograsso appeared to have the ball in her hands, but with the wet conditions the ball was jarred loose and NDSU capitalized. Ryan managed to get the rebound and scored without a Jackrabbit defender guarding the goal.

The goal put the Jacks in a battle with the Bison as NDSU started the first half with an unfavorable wind.

Despite being down 1-0 and having the wind at their backs, the Jacks were not timid in the conference league match. “We were out-playing them (Bison),” said Van Gerpen.

Using strong defense and great play from Lograsso, the Jacks held the Bison scoreless for more than 73 minutes, including parts of the first half, the second half and an overtime session. The Jacks also held the Bison at bay in spite of the 55 minutes with the wind in favorable position for the Bison.

“The fact that we lasted not only 45 minutes but 55 minutes was incredibly impressive,” said head coach Lang Wedemeyer.

When the Jacks stopped the Bison in the first overtime, they were prepared for the win and were not satisfied with a tie to end the match. “They (SDSU players) knew they had 10 minutes with the wind and rain at their backs,” Wedermeyer said. “I think they were excited and knew they had a great chance to win the game.”

The second overtime saw the Jacks with plentiful shot opportunities, but Wedemeyer had to remind his players in the first half that in order for the Jackrabbits to score, they must shoot. Goosen gave the head coach a sign of relief as the Jacks countered the Bison goal and made the score 1-1 in mid-first half action.

With the win, SDSU snapped NDSU’s five game winning streak and prevailed the Bison to have two straight losses in a row to SDSU, with the last match coming at the 2006 United Soccer Conference in Washington, D.C. By defeating the Bison 1-0, the Jacks won the USC tournament and were declared the conference champs.

Wedemeyer was very impressed by his team’s ability to focus on the game not during regulation but overtime also.

“The wet conditions were terrible,” Van Gerpen said. “We have to completely adjust to the lakes that were in the field. We had to make sure to get our body behind the ball. The freezing cold rain did not help any either.”

Up next for Jackrabbits is Centenary College on Oct. 25 at 7 p.m. They conclude the weekend with Oral Roberts University on Oct. 28 at 1 p.m.