Inside the First-Career Goal To Down South Dakota State 1-0 In The home Opener

This season’s goals mark career milestones for Finley Schoenbeck and Kendall Memoly. In their home opener on Thursday night at Stewart Field, the Colorado College women’s soccer team secured a 1-0 victory over South Dakota State, thanks to Memoly’s game-winning goal, which was also her first in her career.

“Tonight was gritty,” said head coach Keri Sanchez. “That’s one of our team values, and we really demonstrated that.”

South Dakota State ended the 2023 season with 13 wins, clinching both the Summit League regular-season and tournament championships and making an appearance in the 2023 NCAA Division III Tournament, making this win for the Tigers even more significant.

In the 66th minute, with the score tied 0-0, Alexis Wessler took a free kick just beyond midfield. After the ball deflected off a Jackrabbit, Memoly was positioned near the goalkeeper and tapped the ball into the net, giving the Tigers their first win of the season against last year’s Summit League champions.

“We emphasized going for the first ball and having someone ready to capitalize on the second ball, and Kendall did well to be in position for that,” Sanchez noted.

This match marked the first-ever meeting between the two programs, ending with a satisfying victory for the Tigers, who faced their third consecutive defending conference champion to kick off the season.

The game was a defensive struggle with few shots on goal. The Tigers registered five shots on target, while the Jackrabbits had two.

Goalkeeper Regan Wallace faced 13 shots in the first half but only needed to make one save. She finished the match with two saves and had several crucial moments in the second half where she thwarted opposing attacks to maintain the Tigers’ lead. Wallace recorded her first career shutout and fourth career win.

A total of nine players contributed to the shooting efforts, with no single player taking more than one shot. The Jackrabbits had six different players attempting shots. Emily Hitt, Alex Sandoval, Wessler, Schoenbeck, and Memoly all registered shots on target.

Although South Dakota State dominated possession, Colorado College’s defense effectively neutralized attacks inside the box, achieving their first shutout victory since October 23, 2022.

“Before the game, we emphasized being ruthless in both boxes tonight,” Sanchez said. “Our determination helped us prevent goals and led us to score the winner.”

The Tigers are set to host Northern Colorado on Sunday after the Bears lost their Thursday night game to Colorado State, 3-0. Kickoff for Sunday’s match is scheduled for 6 p.m., with coverage on the Mountain West Network starting shortly before the game.