Box Score

ABERDEEN, S.D. – After watching the Northern State University Wolves rally to tie the game in the second half, the University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs manufactured their own rally to claim a 2-1 victory over the Wolves Saturday afternoon in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference soccer action.

The loss, just the second for the Wolves in their last 12 games, drops NSU to 5-5-5 overall and 3-2-3 in conference play, while the league-leading Bulldogs moved to 10-2-1 on the year and 8-1-0 in the loop.

UMD wasted little time in taking the early lead, needing just 3:32 to find the net for a 1-0 edge.  Alex Paffrath fed teammate Lauren Graydon on a give-and-go play off the game's first corner kick.  Graydon found the net from the far right side to put the Bulldogs on top early.

The Wolves responded early in the second half on freshman Renee Gittings' first career goal.  NSU sophomore Kaylee McDonald sent a long pass from the far left side of the field into the box for Gittings, who redirected the pass into the net from the close right side.

That goal set up a 1-1 tie that lasted a minute and 13 seconds until UMD's Clare Dahmen put the Bulldogs back up for good.  Paffrath and Kelly Duchene were credited with the double assist.

While UMD did claim an 18-10 edge in total shots, the Wolves held on to a 6-5 advantage in shots on goal.  Two of those came in the late-going on shots from McDonald and Katie Anderson.  UMD goalkeeper Hannah Bengston, however, made a couple of sensational saves to keep the Wolves at bay.

NSU returns to the pitch tomorrow to host Bemidji State University in another NSIC match-up.  BSU is coming off a 1-0 loss at University of Mary on Saturday.  Kick-off for Sunday's contest is set for 1 p.m.