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University of Nebraska - Kearney Athletics

Megan Cook
Corbey R. Dorsey
1
Winner Missouri Western MWSU (7-3-2, 4-1-0)
0
Neb.-Kearney UNKE (2-10-0, 1-4-0)
Winner
Missouri Western MWSU
(7-3-2, 4-1-0)
1
Final
0
Neb.-Kearney UNKE
(2-10-0, 1-4-0)
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Missouri Western MWSU 0 1 1
Neb.-Kearney UNKE 0 0 0

Game Recap: Women's Soccer |

Second Half Header Helps Griffs Slip Past the Lopers

Kearney, Neb. – Senior forward Eszter Toth headed in a cross in the 55th minute to help Missouri Western State get past Nebraska-Kearney, 1-0, Sunday afternoon at Ron & Carol Cope Stadium at Foster field.

The Griffons win a third straight game to improve to 7-3-2 (4-1-0). They are ranked ninth in the most recent United Soccer Coaches Association Central Region rankings.

UNK (2-10-0, 1-4-0), down to its third and final keeper, was on the attack over the first 12 minutes. But shots by redshirt sophomores Cammie Davis (Wichita) and Payton Rhen (Omaha Skutt) sailed high. At the other end of the pitch redshirt sophomore keeper Eden Miura (Las Vegas, Nev.) made three saves. This was her first official appearance for the Lopers; starting keeper Emery Mounce (Spring Hill, Kan.) and reserve Rainna Daharsh (Gretna) are both on the injured list.

"Eden was brilliant. She made some really good saves in the first half … two diving ones and a good one-one-one save near the end of the half," said UNK head coach Chloe Roberts. "Defensively, we ran the game plan perfectly. We kind of knew the formation they put out and the team executed the game plan to perfection in the first half and even into the second half. It was just a set play we conceded." Eden Miura

Things remained scoreless until MWSU lined up for one its four corners on the day early in the second half. Lincoln Southeast graduate and junior Kelsey Burkey lined up in the left corner and, instead of sending ball to the goal, sent a grounder to sophomore Tina Palmieri near the back line. She quickly sent a ball back out to sophomore Jaden Skinner on the left wing. Her long cross into the box found a leaping Toth who headed past Miura for her fifth goal of the fall. Both Skinner and Toth are transfers from Division I Cal State Bakersfield.

"The goal wasn't Eden's fault. They just got in front of her and had a height advantage. Overall, as a team we just weren't ready for that short set play. That's on us as we weren't alert enough. They put a good cross in and had a nice header," said Roberts.

UNK had a golden chance to knot things up 12 minutes later when redshirt freshman Aspen Brandich (Colorado Springs) found a streaking Perla Navarro (Los Angeles) down the left side of the field. Navarro got past her Griffon defenders to have a one-on-one situation with junior keeper Anna Mayer. Navarro's shot attempt was greeted by a charging and diving Mayer with her save being corralled by a Griffon defender and kicked out of bounds

"That's a top 10 team in the region and we were right there," said Roberts. "I honestly thought (Perla's shot) was in. From my angle I couldn't see their keeper make the save with her legs. Perla took an extra touch and that's what I would've done if I was her to get past the defender and then she tried to toe poke into the corner. Their goalie just made a great save."

Navarro had two of UNK's six shots on the day and was one of seven reserves to see action. Not surprisingly, defenders Megan Cook (Bellevue West), Lily Engeman (Olathe, Kan.) and Dolcie Hanlon (Grand Junction, Colo.) went all 90 minutes.

"Dolcie and Lily are solid center backs and Megan is a left back and a fifth-year senior. They are just balling out honestly. They are doing very well … they have a lot of minutes on their legs but you wouldn't know it by the way they are playing," said Roberts. "They are facing some of the top forwards in the region and they are holding their own back there."

Finally, Miura had seven saves for the Lopers with Mayer recording two for Mo West.  

UNK is on the road the next two weekends with a Friday game at Missouri Southern State (2-8-2, 1-4-0) on tap first.  
 
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