Cougars Even Record with Road Win

September 23, 2011

Sept. 9, 2011

WATERLOO, Iowa - SIUE women's soccer snapped a two-game losing skid Friday night, defeating Northern Iowa 2-1. The Cougars improved to 2-2 with the win, while the Panthers fell to 2-4-1.

"Overall it was a really well-played game for us," SIUE Head Coach Derek Burton said. "We really competed tonight, from the first whistle to the last."

Brittany Bodziak got the Cougars on the board early, netting her second goal of the season in the 17th minute. Kristin Dierker beat a defender then touched the ball to Bodziak who beat UNI goalkeeper Lauren Potzman with a high hard shot.

"(Kristin) Dierker was there, Britt (Bodziak) was there," Burton said of the play. "Both players were where we wanted them."

"One of our goals was to start quickly tonight and start positively, which we did," Burton continued. "Not just scoring first but establishing ourselves and our game."

The Panthers wasted little time in evening the score. Ashley Capone tied the game just 1:13 later. SIUE goalkeeper Claire Lovercheck got a hand on the ball but couldn't keep it from trickling over the goal line.

The score remained 1-1 at half.

The game-winner for SIUE came in the 67th minute on a corner kick. Michelle Auer took the corner and Devon Thomas finished with a volley from 15 yards out through traffic. Thomas now has two goals and leads the team with seven points. Auer is second with six.

"We did what we wanted to do against their system," Burton said. It earned us a bunch of corners. We were trying to get behind their wide players. It earned us a corner that resulted in the game winner."

Each team managed six corner kicks during the game. SIUE outshot Northern Iowa 12-11.

Lovercheck and freshman Courtney Vonder Haar split time in goal for SIUE. Lovercheck made two saves in the first half, while Vonder Haar made three in the second half and was credited with the win, her first.

"Courtney made a couple of really good saves," Burton said. "On the corner kick she did what she was supposed to do. She was really strong."

The Cougars will take more than a week off between games. SIUE will next play Sunday, Sept. 18 at Saint Louis.