Associate head coach Danny Burnstein is pleased with where the team stands at the end of non-conference play. “The last 30-25 minutes of this game, we were really hitting our stride,” he said. “That’s really what you want to do. You want to be playing well as you go into your conference slate.” 

The University of North Dakota defeated the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff 3-0 on Sunday, September 17th, at Bronson Field with a final shot count of 9-3 in favor of UND.  

UND played dominant for most of the first half. They controlled possession and opened the scoring. Allison Rapaduski scored the game’s first and winning goal off an assist from Paula Moreno Diaz. After that goal, UAPB caught UND off guard and made a push. However, Madi Livingston made a great save to keep UAPB off the scoreboard.  

Toward the end of the first half, UAPB had more fire in them, getting three shots quickly to make the shot count a more even 4-3 by the end of the half.  

“They changed formation and put more pressure on us later in the first half,” Burnstein said. “It shows that we can read the game well, and we’re willing to adapt and work hard to make things happen. 

The second half belonged to UND, with UAPB unable to get a single shot. UND had multiple chances, getting five shots in that half. The second goal came late, with 13 minutes left to play. Evelyn Pazienza scored off assists from Julia Briggs and Amelia Loeffler. Only 12 minutes later, Ariana Chisteckoff scored the third and final goal due to a serious misplay by the UAPB goalie.  

Pazienza, named Summit League Offensive Player of the Week, broke down her goal. “I just saw a gap like a wide gap between their two center backs and made that run,” she said. “I was able to just hit it in.”  

Beyond her play, Pazienza likes the way the team came together this game after recent adversity. “These last few games, we hit a little bit of a wall with a few losses, especially at home,” said Pazienza. “I think today … especially in the second half, we really came together, and we were able to find each other and then just put balls away.” 

Ahead of them entering conference play, Pazienza says the team will be focusing on “getting the ball wide” using their wingbacks to carry the ball in. “We are super-fast on the side,” she said. “I think we can exploit that going into conference play.”  

Burnstein also emphasized the team’s ability to maintain their energy throughout the game as a key to their conference success. 

“On both sides of the ball,” he said. “In the attack and on defense, making sure that we’re sharp and not giving up the chances that we have.”  

UND begins conference play on September 21st against Omaha with a record of 4-4-2 in non-conference play.  

Maeve Hushman is a Dakota Student Sports Reporter. She can be reached at [email protected].