Boxscore
NAMPA, Idaho -
McKenzie Bailey scored in the 99th minute to give the Northwest Nazarene women's soccer team a 4-3 overtime victory over Montana State Billings in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference opener for the Crusaders on Saturday in Nampa.
Bailey controlled an Erika Kristensen pass just inside the box and then fired the winning shot inside the far post at eye level. With the GNAC victory, the Crusaders move to 3-2-3 overall and 1-0 in conference play.
MSUB (4-3-1, 1-1 GNAC) opened play in dominating fashion as GNAC leading scorer Jaucelyn Richter scored twice. Both Richter goals came on breakaways from 40 and 45-yards. The opening scoring run was created by Kari Foreman's forward pass, while the second tally was set up by Carly Valentine. Both shots were along the ground and inside the right post, beating NNU keeper Tanya Zickefoose one-on-one each time.
The Crusaders answered late in the first half as Autumn Yturbe matched Richter's efforts with two goals of her own. Yturbe cut the margin to 2-1 in the 38th minute, converting a cross from
Stacey Beckman, and then tied the score at 2-2 in the 43rd minute, controlling a deflection off MSUB keeper Jordan Fenwick and finding the upper right corner.
NNU's
Marie Smith gave the Crusaders their first lead of the match in the 53rd minute with an unassisted goal. Smith took the ball into the left side of the box, beat two 'Jacket defenders one-on-one and then blasted a strike inside the far post to make it 3-2 in favor of the Red and Black.
MSUB then forced overtime in the 69th minute as Jennifer Larsen bent a high shot from 20-yards out over the NNU defense and inside the upper corner. Andrea Baytaluke earned an assist on the goal, feeding Larsen from the left.
Both goalkeepers grabbed eight saves and MSUB held a 19-14 shot and a 5-1 corner kick margin over the Crusaders.
The Crusaders will travel to Saint Martin's University next Thursday and Western Oregon University on Saturday for GNAC matches. Both matches are slated for a 1:00 p.m. PT kickoff.
