Recap: @UNCBearsSoccer Rallies From Early Deficit to Tie Dinos

Saturday, August 11

Greeley, CO

10 AM

University of Northern Colorado

1-0-1

University of Calgary (EXH.)

0-0-1

CALGARY

Northern Colorado

8/11/2018 2:53:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

Northern Colorado overcame a 3-0 hole in its final exhibition match before the Colorado Cuip

By: Matthew Kushar, UNCBears.com

GREELEY, Colo.- After falling behind early, Northern Colorado soccer rallied in the second half to earn a 3-3 tie with the University of Calgary. With the exhibition games over, UNC will now prepare for the regular season to start next week.

Freshman Taylor Washington started the game for the Bears in net, with Lauren Houghton opposing her for the Dinos.

Calgary came storming out of the gates with a goal from Jordan Smith and was assisted by Maddison Fritze in the fourth minute. Fritze would score her own goal four minutes later to put UNC in a quick 2-0 hole less than 10 minutes into the game.

The Dinos continued to pressure the Bears and Fritze struck for her second goal of the day in the 15^th minute to give them a 3-0 advantage over UNC.

The Bears put together several scoring opportunities to stem the momentum the Calgary had built up. Both Courtney Elterman and Mariel Gutierrez put shots on goal to get the offense going with their team trailing.

In the 29^th minute, freshman Lexi Pulley delivered a great pass into the box and Taylor Bray tapped it into the net for UNC's its first goal of the game. The first half would end with Calgary leading UNC 3-1.

Junior Jessica Smith would take over in the net for Washington to begin the second half. The Bears immediately put the pressure back on the Dinos with a corner kick from freshman Lindsi Jennings, although the Bears could not score.

Pulley would continue to make an impact on the game, with a throw in the 59^th minute that fellow freshman, Mackenzie Bray, headed into the net, cutting the Dinos lead to one. Both Bray sisters had now scored on opportunities created by Pulley.

Calgary had an opportunity in the 71^st minute to get one of the goals back with a corner kick, but could not convert the opportunity.

UNC would tie the game up in the 75^th minute after Maddie Barkow fired a perfect cross to freshman Violet Renard, who headed the ball in
for the team's third goal and the equalizer.

The Bears would earn two more corner kicks in the 79^th and 84^th minute to give the team the chance to take the lead, but could not get the winning goal. Calgary also had a corner kick in the 87^th minute that was turned away by UNC and the game ended in a 3-3 tie.

In their words.
Tim Barrera, Head Coach

On the game
"It's an exhibition match, so we're still looking at combinations of players and incorporating that into preseason training. I'm a little disappointed with how we started, giving up three goals in three shots. But I thought the team reacted well and did a good job methodically fighting back, while picking up the intensity. Using a lot of players helped and I'm happy with the overall effort because we came back from being down three. We just have to clean up some of the mistakes we made early."

On preparing for the regular season
"Some players have stepped up and fairly solidified in perhaps starting roles. Other positions have some good competition going on and these exhibition matches are about getting good information. It's a little different playing in the heat of day then at night so it's another opportunity for us to look at players in different environments."

Up Next
Northern Colorado will open its regular season schedule with the first game of the Colorado Cup against Colorado College. The game will be played at Jackson Stadium on Thursday, August 16^th at 7 P.M.

To stay up to date on all things UNC Soccer, visit UNCBears.com and follow the team on Twitter with @UNCBearsSoccer.