Bearcats control game, but draw with Griffons
JON DYKSTRA/THE FORUM
Northwest senior Kaylie Rock makes a run on Friday at Bearcat Pitch.
MARYVILLE, Mo. — There wasn’t an area of the stat sheet on Friday afternoon where Northwest Missouri State didn’t dominate Missouri Western — it was 21 Bearcat shots to seven Griffons shots, 11 Bearcat corner kicks to one, 12 Griffon fouls to eight — except for the final score, 1-1.
The Bearcats (2-1-2) just couldn’t find the back of the net despite their command of the game on Friday.
“You have these days and for whatever reason the ball does not go in and won’t fall your way,” Northwest coach Marc Gordon said. “I’ve been on both sides of games like this where I’ve lost or I’ve won.”
Missouri Western (1-2-2) found the back of the net with in the 38th minute of the first half and their bench immediately started telling their players to stall as much of possible to shorten the game. The Bearcats had already been controlling possession, but the ultra-conservative approach from the Griffons did clog things up offensively as the score was 1-0 at halftime.
“It is obviously frustrating because they are playing a lot of defense, but it is also another encouraging thing because they know that we can do well and they know that we are good offensively,” Bearcat senior captain Kaylie Rock said.
Northwest created several opportunities early in the second half with three-straight corner kicks at one point, but just couldn’t get the ball past Keely Kroonenberg.
Kroonenberg also powered nearly every offensive possession for Western with her big kicks getting the ball on the other half of the field before Northwest would take it back and take another run at getting a ball by her.
“Their goalkeeper has an absolute canon and she can punt the ball very accurate,” Gordon said.
The Bearcats’ persistence paid off in the 64th minute with Rock taking a feed from Hannah Stirling getting through the entire Griffon defense for the equalizing goal. It’s the senior captain’s third of the season and 22nd of her career — extending her all-time program record.
“There was a perfect opening between the outside back and center back, and Hannah is really food at making those slotted passes,” Rock said. “She made it through in between them and right to my feet. I just took it straight to the goal as close as I could and saw an opening in then back post and slipped it into the corner.”
The Bearcats were confident that they were not done scoring with the way they were creating opportunities, but it wasn’t meant to be on Friday as the Griffons held on for the draw.
“A very good game plan for them,” Gordon said.
Northwest was without reigning MIAA Goalkeeper of the Year Lily Ellis as she recovers from a concussion suffered two weeks ago. Freshman Leyah Scott has stepped in the past three matches and made five saves on Friday.
“At first I was really nervous just getting used to everything,” Scott said. “It is just the little things that you think are nonchalant and normal, but you have to get used to it. Now I am pretty confident and I just want to help my team win.”
The Bearcats will look forward to the conference match against the Griffons on October 29, but there is a lot of season before that. Northwest travels to Warrensburg to play Central Missouri on Sunday. They will be back home next Friday for Senior Day at 3 p.m., against Missouri Southern.
“Obviously we did not hope for a tie today,” Rock said. “It was 1-1. It was a tough battle but in the second half we came out really strong and had a ton of shots and a ton of corners, and we just couldn’t capitalize.”
