The UND women’s soccer team’s season is racing toward the end. For a team that has only one win all season, North Dakota hopes to end on a positive note.

But last Friday afternoon, the team fell further into a dismal season with a 5-0 loss against Sacramento State at Bronson Field. The team also saw a 1-0 loss Sunday against Portland State, but let fewer goals in the net than Friday.

On Friday, Sacramento outshot UND 24 to 10, and started scoring at the 47th minute when it fired the shot past UND goaltender Kristi Hestdalen. The Hornets would add four more goals in the second half, including three in four minutes.

“I think our team came out incredibly flat, unmotivated in the second half,” UND coach Matt Kellogg said. “And that’s an issue … it looked like we were going to get back in things, and we didn’t.”

Hestdalen stopped eight shots on net. Defensively, UND played strongly throughout the first half and didn’t allow any goals on five shots from Sacramento State.

UND was not without opportunities as it outshot Sacramento five shots to four in the final minutes of the first half. Kristen Olson received a penalty kick, but goalie Kimberly Mata stopped the shot on net.

For UND, this is its tenth time being shut out by an opponent, as it has scored six goals all year. Through the team’s last four games, offense will be the focus as it tries to win its first game since Aug. 29 when it beat Chicago State.

Seniors Kristi Hestdalen and Juillete Austin will soon see their last games before moving on and finishing their senior year.

Hestdalen has been the rock in UND’s net since coming on as a freshman. Accumulating five shutout performances in her time at UND, she holds the program record with 332 saves at the beginning of the season.

Austin has averaged UND just under four shots per season.

UND’s next action will be Friday at Montana State before hosting its last home game against Eastern Washington on Oct. 26.

With the end of the season in sight, North Dakota is still looking for its drive toward the finish.

“Right now, we’re looking for answers and we’re looking for anybody on the squad who wants to step up and take change,” Kellogg said.

Kyle Beauchamp is a staff writer for The Dakota Student. He can be reached at [email protected].