Box Score

ABERDEEN, S.D. - In a game of endurance and footwork, the Northern State University Wolves turned Sunday's contest into a game of inches as they fell 2-0 to the visiting 18th-ranked Minnesota State University Mavericks in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference women's soccer action.
    The Wolves, who fell to 6-6 overall and 2-3 in NSIC play, were just inches away from making it a different story on more than one occasion.  Sophomore forward Maggie Fedor (Monticello, Minn.) had a pair of shots that deflected off the crossbar in the second half.  One of those was narrowly tipped by Maverick goalkeeper Sheila Reynolds, who posted five saves on the day to keep the Wolves off the scoreboards.
    MSU, now 7-1-2 overall and 5-0-1 in the conference, took the early lead when Leslie Peterson picked up a deflection off NSU goalkeeper Kit Grace (Littleton, Colo.) and stuck it back in the net.  The go-ahead goal was set up by a free kick from the middle.
    Natalie Bullis then gave the Mavericks an insurance goal in the 65th minute, again taking advantage of a scramble in front of the net.  MSU's Laura Leber picked up a deflection of a long cross from the right side and sent a short pass to the left of the goal for Bullis, who found the net for her third goal of the season.
    Offensively, the Wolves had 14 total shots, nearly matching the Mavericks' effort of 15.  Both teams had five shots on goal and were whistled for 13 fouls, while NSU had a 4-0 edge in corner kicks on the day.
    The Wolves will be back in action next weekend, remaining at home to host Minnesota State Moorhead on Saturday and Minnesota, Crookston on Sunday.  Both games are slated to start at 1 p.m. at Jerde Field.