DENVER (USD) — South Dakota (7-7-4, 3-4-1 Summit) fell to Omaha 2-0 in the quarterfinals of the Summit League Tournament Friday afternoon.
Until late in the second half, the two teams seemed evenly matched. With Brooke Kercher-Pratt and Taylor Ravelo playing aggressive defense against the Summit League’s Offensive Player of the Year in Sophia Green.
Omaha’s Regan Zimmers was named the league’s Defensive Player of the Year and demonstrated why this afternoon, clearing many of the Coyotes’ shots away from the goal box.
With eight minutes left in regulation, Emilie Erland shot the ball past South Dakota goalkeeper Caroline Lewis to give the Mavericks the go-ahead goal. Only four minutes later, the league’s leading scorer Green scored the goal that would secure the win for the Mavericks.
The two teams were neck-and-neck for shots taken throughout the contest. The Coyotes shot one less than the Mavericks’ 11.
Ashby Johnston, the Coyotes’ leading goal scorer, broke through the Maverick defense early in the match and had a shot that fell wide right off a pass from Brooklyn Bordson. Shortly after, sophomore Rylee Haldeman had another look for the Yotes that was slightly too high.
Erland’s go-ahead goal for Omaha was just her third goal of the season, while the assist from Grace Ostergaard was her fifth of the season. Green showed off her offensive finesse as the league’s leading scorer by putting in her 10th goal of the season unassisted.
Lewis, Ravelo, Brooke Conway, Ashby Johnston and Maliah Atkins battled for the entirety of the 90 minutes of play for the Yotes.
Omaha will move on to face Denver Saturday at 2 p.m.
