Box Score Kearney, Neb. – The Washburn Ichabods scored twice in a four-minute span to beat Nebraska-Kearney, 2-1, Sunday afternoon at Ron & Carol Cope Stadium at Foster Field.

This was the first of two meetings between UNK (2-3-1) and WU (3-2-0). This game doesn't count in the MIAA standings but next Sunday's tilt in Topeka will. 

On Friday night, UNK was in a 110 minute battle with rival Fort Hays State. Due to weather, the 'Bods rivalry game with Emporia State was postponed to this coming Tuesday.

Not surprisingly, Washburn was a bit fresher today as they took the game's first four shots. However, things were scoreless at the intermission.

In the 49th minute, UNK was whistled for one of its 15 fouls. That led to a direct free kick by midfielder Morgan El-Attrache. The junior managed to record he first goal of the season from 25 yards out.

Just four minutes later, junior Emily Stauffer got free on the left wing and took a pass from sophomore Ellie Karloff. Stauffer (Lincoln East H.S.) found the back of the net, the third time she has scored on the Lopers over the past two years.

"This year, I can't think of a great goal another team has scored on us. We keep giving them goals," said UNK head coach John Maessner. "We can fix those things. If we can stop those same mistakes, no one scores on us."

Kearney cut the deficit in half in the 58th minute as the 'Bods were called for a hand ball in the box. That led to a penalty kick which Papillion sophomore Kelsie Ienn converted.

However, the Lopers didn't get another ball past Washburn keeper Kaitlin Minnich the rest of the way. Overall, Washburn had four more shots, 9-5, with UNK having four more corners, 7-3.

"We're not making excuses but Friday took it everything we had. Soccer is not meant to be played two days after the last game," said Maessner. "We know all the circumstances but we should've been able to figure out how to win that game. We need to clean up the easy mistakes and have a killer instinct in the final third. We're starting to get the other things figured out."

A banged up bunch of Lopers saw Ienn, Hastings junior Marika Van Brocklin and Kearney freshman Molly Willis go all 90 minutes. In goal, Kearney redshirt freshman Allie Prososki made six saves.

A four-game road swing begins Friday night in Emporia. That'll be the last non-conference game of the 2016 season for the Lopers.