Creighton University
Northern Colorado
Second-Half Goals Propel Women's Soccer to Season-Opening Victory
8/31/2007 5:15:00 PM | Women's Soccer
OMAHA, Neb. - Freshman Emily Orbell and junior Marcy Gans scored goals within a three minute span in the second half to erase a 1-0 Northern Colorado halftime lead as the Creighton women's soccer team won their season opener Friday night, 2-1, at Morrison Stadium in front of 1,077 fans.
Although Creighton dominated the first half offensively, the Jays trailed at the half after Northern Colorado's Jessica Zimmerman found the back of the net from 30 yards on a free kick in the ninth minute. Zimmerman placed the ball in the top left corner over the reach of Creighton goalkeeper Kristen Casey to give the Bears the early lead.
Creighton failed to capitalize on two scoring chances prior to the Northern Colorado goal. In the fifth minute, Gans had a point-blank shot from six yards turned back on a great save by Bear keeper Monique Wells. Less than two minutes later, senior Katy Peetz had a shot hit the side of the right post.
With less than three minutes remaining in the first half, Northern Colorado's Wells made another stop on a blast from Creighton junior Lindsay Vaught from well inside the box. Despite holding a 1-0 lead at the half, Northern Colorado was out-shot 11-2 in the period by the Jays.
Creighton came out of the gates in the second half on the attack, and were rewarded for their aggression with a goal in the 56th minute. Orbell used her upper body to find the net following a throw-in by senior Sam Russell and a touch from Gans. Orbell found herself in the six-yard box and guided the loose ball into the goal after Gans' touch.
Then only 3:01 later, Gans finally capitalized after numerous opportunities earlier in the match when she netted the ball off the rebound of a Nicole DeLue shot. The Bears made a team save on the shot by DeLue, but Gans was there to put back the loose ball and give the Jays a 2-1 lead.
Gans had an opportunity for her second goal turned away by Wells in the 71st minute, but Creighton was able to hold on for the 2-1 victory. Northern Colorado attempted two of their six shots shots in the final eight minutes, but the Jays buckled down defensively to secure the match.
Goalkeeper Kristen Casey picked up the victory in goal, recording one save for the Bluejays. Wells was the losing keeper, despite three excellent saves to her credit in the match.
Gans set a Morrison Stadium record by a Bluejay with eight shots in the match, falling one shy of the overall stadium record of nine. Orbell and DeLue added three shots apiece as the Jays dominated with a 22-6 shot advantage in the match.
“I was pleased with the quality chances we had in the first half and thought it was a matter of time before we would capitalized,” said head coach Bruce Erickson. “We kept plugging away, remained confident even with the deficit, and played with the same intensity regardless of the score.”
The victory was Creighton's first in a season-opening match since 2001. The attendance of 1,077 was the seventh-largest in school history for a women's match.
Creighton (1-0-0) will travel to Nacogdoches, Texas, to take on Stephen F. Austin on Sunday, Sept. 2, in an 11 a.m. kick off.
