Nick Hartley

The 2007 Jackrabbit soccer season opened at home versus the University of Northern Iowa Panthers. Neither team could provide enough offense as both teams struggled to score one goal a piece to end in a 1-1 tie. The Jacks (0-0-1,0-0), and the UNI (2-0-1,0-0 in the Missouri Valley Conference).

The Jacks had a solid shot for a goal at the 18:30 mark when Chelsea Goosen’s shot went just inches above goalkeeper Heidi O’Mara. With 33 minutes into the game, the Jacks found the back of the net as Tory Sclitgen scored her first career goal, assisted by Kellyn Farrell, to go ahead 1-0. The rest of the first half had many missed opportunities for the Panthers. SDSU goalkeeper Nicole Lograsso stopped three shots to leave the score at 1-0 going into halftime in favor of the Jacks.

A hard shot by UNI midfielder Chelsie Hochstedlert made its way past Lograsso to tie the match at one a piece.

The first overtime went by quick and painless as both teams had decent opportunities to find the back of the goal, but came up short. The second overtime featured a Farrell shot on a goal that was just inches away from ending the game 43 seconds in, but neither team could score in extra time.

“We like to spread the ball out and attack,” said Coach Lang Wedemeyer. “We did that well in the second half but not so good in the first. We created dangerous opportunities, but being the first game of the year we need to sharpen our skills. We got a decent amount of shots, but not as many quality opportunities as we needed to create.”

Wedemeyer also commented on the freshmen team member’s work, “The [freshmen] girls that played many minutes tonight. Tory, Kaitlin [Justice], and Emily Quigley all have earned it through preseason.”

Lograsso came up big in goal stopping six UNI shots. Farrell had seven shots to lead the Jacks.

Up next for the Jacks is the Summit League conference opener against perennial powerhouse Oakland University at Fishback Soccer Complex on Sept. 7 at 7:00p.m.