The South Dakota State women's soccer team scored two goals, one in the final two minutes of each half, to stun Western Illinois on Sunday, 2-0...
With less than two minutes to play in the first half, SDSU earned its first corner kick. Christa Nyblom played the ball short to Courtney Higgins, who crossed the ball to the far post. Stacy Guijarro broke free from a defender and headed the ball to the upper right-hand corner of the goal.
The goal was her team-leading fourth of the season and the first assist for Higgins.
The Jackrabbits spent the majority of the first half fending off the Fighting Leathernecks' attack, but made its lone shot of the half count.
Western Illinois dominated the first half offensively with the advantage in shots (12-1), shots on goal (2-1) and corner kicks (3-1), but SDSU led on the scoreboard. Both teams were whistled for two fouls and no offsides.
Guijarro led the Jackrabbit attack with one goal on one shot.
Elisa Stamatakis saved both shots on goal by the Leathernecks.
The beginning of the second half was very dramatic.
Five minutes into the second half the Leathernecks' goalkeeper left the goal line and attempted to secure a cross. The cross found its mark, but a Western Illinois defender used her hand in the box to prevent a goal-scoring opportunity and received a yellow card. SDSU was awarded a penalty kick. The penalty kick by Megan Kingston was saved.
SDSU escaped a close call when a Leathernecks' forward put a shot off of the post midway through the second half.
And once again, with less than two minutes remaining in the second half, Diana Potterveld controlled the ball near the Western Illinois goal line and played it into the box to an open Alyssa Brazil. Brazil scored from the penalty mark to put the game out of reach.
The goal was the second of the season for Brazil and the third assist for Potterveld.
"It was nice to finally have some breaks go our way," head coach Lang Wedemeyer said. "I thought we did a good job at covering and helping one another on the field and played like a true team. Hopefully this proves to be a turning point in our ability to get results."
Western Illinois finished with the advantage in shots (15-10) and corner kicks (5-2), but SDSU led in shots on goal (5-2). Western Illinois was whistled for nine fouls and one offsides, while SDSU was whistled for three fouls and one offsides.
Nyblom led the attack with three shots, two on goal.
Stamatakis made two total saves.
SDSU improved to 3-9-2, 1-3-1 in The Summit League.
Western Illinois dropped its second game of the weekend and fell to 11-4-0,
Next up SDSU plays its final regular season home games in a Friday, Sunday series. The Jacks host Kansas City on Oct. 19 and South Dakota on Oct. 21. Game times are set for 6 p.m. and 1 p.m., respectively.
