Box score
The University of Montana women’s soccer team, after trailing 2-0 to Big Sky conference leader Sacramento State, fought back to earn a 2-2 tie. Montana goals were scored by Erin Craig and Frankie Brady, the former earning her first of the season. With the tie, the 1-1-1 Grizzlies remain tied for fourth place in the Big Sky with Sunday’s opponent Portland State.
In the match, a technically sound Sacramento State team controlled the early game over the slow-warming Grizzlies. A pair of defensive turnovers would yield goals for the Hornets in quick fashion in the 11th and 21st minutes of play.
Hornet points leader Kelsey O’Donnell put in the first goal of the night, taking an assist from Danielle Holloway and driving in a low shot to the corner from 12 yards out. It would be O’Donnell’s fourth goal of the season.
After a second turnover by a flustered UM defense in the 21st minute, Holloway would put in a quick charge, sending UM keeper Grace Harris scrambling as the Hornet’s long shot arced deep into the goal from 23 yards.
Grizzly Erin Craig would bring Montana to within one only two minutes later as the 5-4 freshman headed in a corner kick by teammate Brandee Marone. The goal would be Craig’s first of the season while the assist would be Marone’s third in a row for the Grizzlies accumulated over only two matches.
Montana tied things up in the 37th minute as a hard-charging Frankie Brady acted upon an assist by Craig, beating Sac State keeper Savannah Abercrombie and scoring from front and center, eight yards out.
Of her goal Brady extended, “What can I say? Erin Craig handed me a beautiful pass and I happened to be in the right place at the right time. All I did was my job as a forward.”
The two teams would battle in a very physical match for an additional 73 minutes.
Following play, Brady recounted, “We didn’t come out strongly tonight, giving up two early on. It was great that we fought our way back quickly. After that we were playing much better. Still, 110 minutes of soccer is a lot to fight through. Toward the end, fatigue makes you to want a goal so badly, but we just couldn’t find the net.”
Um coach Neil Sedgwick said of his team, “I’m proud of the way our players came back tonight. Attitudes remained up for the entire match. They played extremely well in periods, but it is a real challenge to maintain that intensity for 110 minutes.
“Sac State is a good team. We took a point away from them tonight that Northern Colorado and Northern Arizona just couldn’t get. We believe that those will be the teams that we will be fighting in the standings.”
Montana plays an important match Sunday with Portland State, a team with whom the Grizzlies are tied for fourth in the Big Sky. In a conference with only four berths for the championship tournament, a win Sunday would be huge for the Missoula team.
Portland will be coming of a 1-1 tie with conference co-leader Eastern Washington from Friday’s match-up.
Sunday’s game will begin at noon in Missoula’s South Campus Stadium. Live stats will be available at www.montanagrizzlies.com.