@UNC_BearsSoccer rallies to soar past Eastern Washington

Wednesday, October 31

Ogden, Utah

Noon

University of Northern Colorado

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Eastern Washington University

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Eastern Washington

Northern Colorado

Mariel Gutierrez scored a pair of second half goals leading UNC to the second round of the Big Sky Tournament.

10/31/2018 3:46:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

Mariel Gutierrez scored a pair of second half goals leading UNC to the second round of the Big Sky Tournament.

By: Ryan Ronan

OGDEN, Utah – Northern Colorado and Eastern Washington in the Big Sky Tournament, feels like we have been here before. The two teams met in the 2017 tourney title game, the Eagles won 3-1. The same two teams got together earlier this season in Greeley with the Bears coming out victorious, 3-1. Tuesday the two met for the fourth time in two seasons with a chance to play on to the semifinals and thanks to the second half effort of the league's offensive MVP, UNC made sure they would be the ones to take on Idaho Friday afternoon after beating EWU by a score of, you guessed it, 3-1.

"I thought it was a good team effort," said UNC head coach Tim Barrera. "we came out and allowed a goal on a set piece, which not allowing those was a going to be a key to our success coming in, but they bounced back well."

The match turned just a minute into the second half. Tied at 1-1, Eastern was called for a foul in the box that gave Northern Colorado a penalty shot, the Bears sent Mariel Gutierrez, the winner of the Golden Boot award for most goals scored by a BSC player, to the mark and she didn't miss. The goal gave UNC all the momentum and more importantly a 2-1 lead. The senior wasn't finished, with time running out and the Bears holding on to a tenuis one-goal lead Gutierrez put herself in the middle of the play, got her foot on a wayward Eagles pass and beat Kelsee Winston for her second goal of the match and 10th of the season. That matches her mark from her junior season.

As impressive as the second-period performance from Gutierrez was, UNC got itself back in the match thanks to the play of Cara Quinn. So many familiar moments took place Tuesday, but the one that was out of the ordinary was the Bears falling behind in the opening minutes. NC has been the team that has made a habit of jumping on its opponents in the first 10 minutes and stealing away all the good early match vibes. Jenny Chavez flipped the script on UNC and gave the Eagles an early 1-0 lead with her goal just 8:37 into the match. The Bears would not let Eastern steal their mojo, with under 20 minutes until the half, Lexi Pulley rifled a shot on goal, which was deflected by Winston but came right to Quinn who beat the EWU goalie who was sprawled out on the grass.

"I think it was really important," said Quinn. "It kind of settled us down and got our motivation going again since we got off to a rough start."

UNC will take a day off before they prepare to do battle with the Vandals on Friday at noon.

The victory on Wednesday was the 300th in the history of the UNC Soccer Program.