MOORHEAD, Minn. -- MSU Moorhead soccer closed its 2023 season on Thursday afternoon as the Dragons would work to a scoreless tie with visiting Minot State on Nemzek soccer field. 

It was the final contest for 10 Dragon seniors in 2023 as head coach Christie Kopietz opted to start all 10 upperclassmen to round out the season. Junior Sara Alfrida Munk Nielsen played the full 90 for the 18th consecutive match to earn Ironwoman status for MSUM. 

Shots were at a bit of a premium for MSUM in the first half as they would only fire off two in the first 45 minutes, highlighted by a shot on goal from Brooklyn Broderick in the 27th minute. Minot State would manage 11 total shots in the first half with seven making it on goal. None of those chances turned out to be challenging saves for senior goalkeeper Simone Lewald. 

The Beavers would get off 13 shots in the second half with only four finding their way to Lewald. She stopped all four to keep the contest tied throughout. The Dragons had five shots in the second frame with a pair on goal from Blayke Hurley and Ashlyn Sands. Ultimately, it was the MSUM defensive effort that kept Minot State off the scoreboard as the Dragons would get some timely punch outs on some late Beaver corner kicks. 

Lewald rounded out her Dragon career with her fifth clean sheet of the season and 11 total saves, bringing her tally to 111 for 2023. Her .854 save percentage in 2023 is tied for the second-best in school history (single season) while her 1.20 goals against average is the sixth-best single-season mark in program history.

The Dragons complete the season with a 3-10-5 overall record and 11 conference standings points, the highest tally since 2019.