No. 23 Concordia upset at Morningside

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – A 71st-minute goal was all host Morningside needed to send the 23rd-ranked Concordia University women’s soccer team to an upset defeat. Both teams took eight total shots in a game decided by a 1-0 score.

Third-year head coach Greg Henson’s squad fell to a GPAC opponent for just a second time in its last 18 contests with conference opponents. The Bulldogs are now 8-3-1 overall and 2-2-1 in GPAC action.

“It was the same story we’ve had lately – another slow start,” Henson said. “We were lucky to get into half, 0-0. We got outplayed. If you keep coming out slow, you’re going to get burned. We really didn’t start playing until they scored. You’re not going to be successful doing that.”

Playing without starting center back Leah Shohat (left Midland win with an injury), Henson again filled the void with freshman Maria Deeter, normally an attacking midfielder. Deeter and company held the Mustangs to just two shots over the final 45 minutes. But the dangerous Amy Samuelson (11 goals this season) made her shot count, finding the back of the net off the assist from Merle Bublitz.

The Bulldogs generated the bulk of their chances from that point on. Sophomore Jeannelle Condame just missed an equalizer in the final minutes when she hit the crossbar on a free kick. The ball bounced straight down, but no Bulldogs were in position to capitalize on the rebound.

Concordia leading goal scorers Jessica Skerston and Esther Soenksen both put two shots on frame. Three days after her first career multi-goal game, junior Jordan McCoy was limited to a single shot.

The Bulldogs had won five of the previous six meetings with the Mustangs (8-3-1, 4-1 GPAC), who have suffered only one loss in conference play (1-0 at Briar Cliff). Morningside has now recorded four-consecutive shutout victories.

The Bulldogs return home for a pair of contests inside Bulldog Stadium. Up next Concordia will welcome Nebraska Wesleyan (7-4, 4-1 GPAC) on Wednesday. Kickoff is slated for 5:30 p.m. in Seward.