CSU soccer comes away with tie in nail-biter against EWU

Bailey Bassett
September 2, 2019

Colorado State University’s soccer team concluded a road trip weekend with a tie against Eastern Washington University.

The Rams faced off against Gonzaga on Thursday, Aug. 29 and lost that contest 2-1. The game losing goal came with only six seconds left in the match.

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CSU suffered a similarly tragic finale when they faced EWU on Sunday, Sept. 1: a game that finished in a double overtime 1-1 tie. The Rams led the entire game, but with 10 seconds left on the clock, EWU’s Sariah Keister blasted a prayer of a shot from deep that went just over CSU keeper Gabi McDonald’s arms. The last second miracle of a shot was heartbreaking and switched the momentum of the game.

In the first half, CSU played solid defense and forced EWU into turnovers. Senior Caeley Lordemann, in particular, impressed defensively. Lordemann, the all time Rams leading scorer, is known for her offense. But in this match, she came away with numerous steals and defensive deflections.

Redshirt sophomore Alyssa Yoshida also showed aggression throughout the game. Yoshida missed all of last season nursing a reconstructed medial patellofemoral ligament, but the knee didn’t appear to be bothering her on Sunday.

Yoshida got into multiple scuffles that resulted in the opponent ending up on the ground and Yoshida coming up with the ball.

Early in the second half, forward Kristen Noonan got shaken up in a mixup and appeared to get up grabbing her shoulder. Noonan didn’t sub out, and this came as a blessing as she scored the game’s first goal minutes later. The goal was a 1v1 against the goalie and Noonan’s second goal of the year. Noonan finished the game as the only Ram recording shots on goal, tallying two, and the sophomore forward finished the game with five total shots.

At the 75 minute mark, goalkeeper Gabi McDonald had a stellar diving save to maintain the lead. McDonald finished with a career-high seven saves. EWU finished the game with an astounding 30 total shots but only eight found their way to McDonald.

With the lead in hand, CSU tried to control the ball and emphasized clock management. Unfortunately, it was with only 10 seconds left that EWU tied the game up.

The game went to double overtime, and EWU controlled the ball for the majority of both overtimes. CSU was able to prevent another goal, but coming out with a tie hurts since they led for nearly the entire second half.

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After back to back games of allowing last second goals, CSU needs to regroup before next Sunday’s matchup at Grand Canyon University.

Bailey Bassett can be reached by email at sports@collegian.com or on twitter @baileybassett_.