After a 75-minute rain and lightning delay, Head Coach Chris Logan said the University of North Dakota’s women’s soccer team struggled to re-find their game against their first Summit league opponent.  

“We had a way that we wanted to play today,” said Logan. “And with how heavy the field was, I think it kind of changed the way that the game was, and we had to adjust to that.”  

 UND fell 2-0 to the University of Nebraska Omaha on a rainy Thursday, September 21st, at Bronson Field with a final shot count of 9-8 in favor of Omaha.  

In the first half, the game remained scoreless for most of the 45 minutes. Madi Livingston made a great save 10 minutes into the game to keep the half scoreless. However, with four minutes left in the half, Omaha’s shot would deflect off a UND defender and wind up in the back of the net. That own goal gave Omaha the lone goal going into the second half.  

Coach Logan called Omaha’s first goal an “unfortunate own goal” and said the ball could have bounced anywhere but ended up in the back of the net. To Logan, the own goal was a symptom of a less-than-ideal first half of play by UND.  

 “Omaha did very well in the first half,” he said. “I didn’t think we were overly great in the first half. I felt like we were holding them.”  

 Despite playing better in the second half, UND could not get on the scoreboard. UND had a high-danger chance from Mary Gasaway, but it bounced off the post. 53 minutes into the game, Omaha got their second of the game from a mistake by UND.  

“In the second half, we stepped up, and we gave it a good go … then we made an unfortunate mistake on the second goal,” said Logan. “That’s a good team that we played today, and they’ll punish you for that.”  

Logan sees the play in the second half as a recently common theme for the UND soccer team. “We’ve seen a lot this year,” he said. “I think we can be a little bit better, but we actually have to start showing on the scoreboard.”  

 UND is set to face another conference opponent in Kansas City, who Logan says UND played well last year but could not beat.  

 “The Summit League teams are really good, and we’re part of that, and so is Kansas City. So, another tough game. We haven’t beaten them in a few years,” Logan said. “Good team, they possess the ball well, they’re athletic, but when we turn up our game, we’re a good team as well.”  

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