The University of Northern Iowa women’s soccer team earned their third-straight victory in dramatic fashion at Eastern Illinois on Friday afternoon, 2-1.
Eastern Illinois scored in the 45th minute on a corner kick by Allie Lakie that found Caitlin Greene for the score just a few seconds before intermission. The game remained at a 1-0 score until the 88th minute when sophomore Caitlyn Fuller took a shot from the top of the box that beat the Eastern Illinois keeper for the score. The match then went in to extra time.
The first period of extra time played to a tie so a second overtime period was needed to decide the victor. In the 105th minute senior Ashley Capone took a free kick from the top of the box and buried it in the back of the net to seal the victory for UNI.
UNI outshot EIU in the match, 19 to nine, and also held a staggering advantage in shots on goal, 11 to three. UNI held the advantage in corner kicks, six to four.
UNI got out to a quick start on offense, tallying seven shots with six on goal in the first half, but failed to find the back of the net in the first period. Fuller’s goal with just over 100 seconds to go in the match gave UNI all of the momentum heading into extra time and a veteran capitalized. Capone scored her first goal of the season to put UNI at a mark of 3-0. It is the second time in program history that the Panthers have opened the season 3-0.
Junior goalkeeper Erin Zaideman tallied two saves for UNI on the afternoon and gave up just her first goal allowed on the season in over 180 minutes between the posts. Zaideman stepped it up in the second half and extra time, keeping the score sheet clean the rest of the way.
UNI senior Kiki McClellan tallied four shots in the match with two coming on goal. Capone added three shots, including the game winner as her only shot on goal. Sophomore Charlotte Jones added three shots on goal while fellow sophomore Claire Clark posted two shots on goal in the match. Fuller also recorded two shots on goal, including a goal in the closing minutes that pushed the game to overtime. Senior Melissa Hagan registered two shots, freshman Sarah McHugh recorded two shots with one on goal, and junior Allie Brees tallied a shot for UNI.
The Panthers will be back in action on Sunday afternoon when they host in-state rival Iowa. Kickoff is set for 2:00 p.m. at the Cedar Valley Soccer Complex.
