YANKTON, S.D. – On a night when it took the Dakota Wesleyan University women's soccer program just four minutes to find the back of the net, head coach Clay Glasgow and Dakota Wesleyan upended in-state rival Mount Marty University by a score of 3-1 in non-conference action on Wednesday from Crane-Youngworth Field in Yankton, S.D. Freshman forward Madison Jenny (Columbus, Neb.) paced the DWU attack with her first career multi-goal performance.
Two minutes into Wednesday's match the Dakota Wesleyan offense had already found its groove with senior Alondra Partida (Salinas, Calif.) attempting a corner kick. Moments later, it was fellow DWU senior Josephine Bardsley (Tea, S.D.) who scored the first goal of the match and granted the Tigers (3-1-0) the early 1-0 advantage.
With the one-goal lead, the Blue and Gray continued its offensive momentum following a pair of corner kicks by Mount Marty. Bardsley, who finished the contest with three shots on goal, struck a shot on goal in the 17th minute, though the attempt was saved.
Dakota Wesleyan, however, extended the first-half advantage to two goals minutes later in the 21st minute. Jenny, who paced the Tigers with four shots in the match, tallied her first career goal off an assist from Partida and DWU held the 2-0 lead.
Neither team managed a goal the rest of the way in the first half, yet it was the Dakota Wesleyan offensive attack with the clear momentum. DWU attempted five shots in the first half while the Tiger defense limited the Lancer (1-2-0) offense to one shot in the opening 45 minutes.
In light of the hot start to begin the match by the Tiger offense, freshman goalkeeper Isabella Gregg (Moreno Valley, Calif.) set the tone for Dakota Wesleyan at the start of the second half after getting the start at goalie. Gregg registered three saves in the opening 23 minutes of the second period including back-to-back saves in the 46th and 47th minute, following just one save in first half.
Mount Marty eventually broke through though for its first goal of the match in the 65th minute, trimming the Dakota Wesleyan advantage to 2-1.
A pair of shots by Kazia Ohayon (Hartford, S.D.) and Partida in the 72nd and 77th minute, respectively attempted to curtail the Lancer's momentum and any chances of a MMU comeback. However, both shots were denied despite the Tigers outshooting MMU 7-5 in the second half.
Clinging to the one-goal lead, Jenny scored her second goal of the day in the 89th minute which granted DWU the 3-1 lead and erased any hopes by Mount Marty at a comeback. Dakota Wesleyan held on for the 3-1 road win, its second two-goal victory of the season.
The DWU offense ended the contest with 12 shots including 11 shots on goal while Bardsley and Jenny combined for seven such attempts. Gregg and the Tiger defense meanwhile registered four saves on five shot attempts while permitting the lone Lancer goal.
Dakota Wesleyan continues its four-game road stretch next versus Waldorf University in non-conference play at 3 p.m. on Saturday in Forest City, Iowa.