Box Score BISMARCK, N.D. — There's no easy rough trip in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, regardless of the opponent.
The Northwest Nazarene got a battle from host the University of Mary, yet still managed to claim a point in the GNAC standings with a 1-1 draw on the road Thursday night.
"We know this is always a tough place to play and when the wind is howling, like it was tonight, it only adds to the difficulty," NNU head men's soccer coach
Coe Michaelson said.
"But we are still in a great place, and we're looking forward to getting back on the field Saturday," the Crusader coach added.
The tie means the Crusaders maintain a firm grasp on second place in the GNAC as NNU (9-2-1 overall, 6-1-1 GNAC) heads to South Dakota to finishes off its current four-game road trip at South Dakota School of Mines on Saturday night.
But Thursday, the Crusaders focus was on the Marauders (2-6-2, 1-6-1), who spotted NNU a 1-0 lead with 15 minutes, 6 seconds left in the opening half when Mary put a ball into their own net for NNU.
The Marauders evened the score, 1-1, in the 59
th minute, then neither team scored over the next 50-plus minutes, netting each one point in the GNAC standings.
Not that the Crusaders didn't try as they hit the post in the final minute of regulation and saw the ball teasingly roll along the goal-line, but it did not cross thanks in part to the friendly home wind.
Alfredo E. Ontiveros made one save in goal for the Crusaders, who outshot Mary, 19-12, in the contest, including a commanding 11-2 edge in the opening half.
