COLUMBIA, Mo. – The degree of difficulty ramped up several notches on Saturday (Aug. 31) as the Concordia University Women’s Soccer team took on a Columbia College program that reached the NAIA national tournament second round in 2023. Though the result was a 4-0 defeat at the hands of the 10th-ranked Cougars of Columbia, Mo., the Bulldogs actually showed progress in a number of areas compared to their 4-2 win from three days earlier. Concordia settled in after a slow start on Saturday – but it had dug too large of a hole.
Head Coach Nick Smith’s squad stands at 1-1 after a week on the road in nonconference play. The Bulldogs earned a win on Wednesday at Graceland University (Iowa).
“We played a really good team in Columbia tonight,” Smith said. “We made it hard on ourselves by starting slow and conceding two goals and a number of good chances in the first 10 minutes. We settled in really well after that. We hit the post while it was 2-0 and grew into the game really well.”
In the mind of Smith, this was a necessary step in Concordia building towards the aspirations it has of competing for a GPAC championship. There is no margin for error on the road in a matchup such as this one. Columbia standout striker Macie Lucas got on the board after just 2:17 had elapsed. She scored again right at the eight-minute mark, putting the Bulldogs in a vulnerable position on the road. The lead ballooned with another goal by Lucas before halftime and via a 53rd-minute goal from Riley Porter.
The Cougars (3-1) held a 14-4 advantage in the shot count. They put Concordia keeper Angela Banks to the test, and she managed to come up with four saves. Both Bulldog shots on goal were credited to junior Sierra Springer. Meanwhile, Kierstynn Garner was limited to one shot three days after she buried all four goals in the win at Graceland.
Of note, freshman Kyana Rios made her first career start on Saturday for Concordia. The Bulldogs used a total of 20 players as a show of their increased depth in 2024. Despite the ugly scoreline, Smith is convinced his team is moving in the right direction.
Said Smith, “It was a much better performance compared to our Graceland game. We are growing really well and will be better for playing teams like Columbia. I don’t like losing, but this was a good step for us as a team.”
The Bulldogs will host their home opener this coming Wednesday when Bellevue University (4-0) makes its way to town. The Bruins have beaten three GPAC opponents already this season: Dakota Wesleyan, Northwestern and College of Saint Mary. Wednesday’s kickoff is slated for 5:30 p.m. CT from Bulldog Stadium.