Moorhead, Minn. – The Dragons(4-2-1) opened up the homecoming weekend with a conference matchup against University of Minnesota-Duluth. The Bulldogs came into Moorhead shutting out their last four opponents. The Dragons set out with the intent to bring that streak to an end.
The Dragons began their conference schedule with a victory over Upper Iowa but then were shut out against Winona State. After three shots on goal to start the game, the Dragons looked to control the pace and create opportunities to find a crack in the Bulldog armor. The Bulldogs used effective defensive play along with Hannah Bengston who was solid in net to keep the Dragons off the board.
After turning away the initial Dragon flurry the Bulldogs looked to put some heat on their opponents. The Bulldogs missed the net with their first two shots but connected on the next five.
Alison Wanner did all she could to turn away each shot but the fifth shot snuck through underneath Wanner and just like that the Bulldogs were on the board(21:15).The Dragons would not register a shot the rest of the half and Wanner was asked to make five more saves before the half ended.
As the winds picked up and the rain fell, the Dragon women took to halftime hoping to reverse their fortunes. As the Dragons defense and goalkeeper had kept them in the game, the offense looked to make their mark.
The second half of the game was much of the same for both teams. The Bulldogs were in control much of the second half as they registered five of the first six shots of the half. The Dragons did get things turned around on their side of the field as those five shots would be the Bulldogs would not register another shot on goal for the rest of the game. The Dragons tried everything they could to get something going for them, including a plethora of substitutions.
Senior Jenna Reed would get the Dragons closer as she hit the second shot of the half for the team. But as dominating as the Bulldogs defense was in the first half, they were equally as impressive in the second half. The Bulldogs held the Dragons to only three shots. But it was the junior goalkeeper Bengston that kept her poise when needed and earned her fifth shutout of the season.
The Dragon women hope to rebound this Sunday as they host the Beavers of Bemidji State at 1 p.m before going on a two game road trip to St. Cloud State and Concordia St. Paul. The Dragons are now 1-2 in the NSIC and 4-3-1 overall on the season.
