JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Breaking up an extended string of home matches, William Woods (2-3-3) took the short trip down US-54 to face NCAA Div. II squad Lincoln (3-0) on Wednesday night.
Zoe Lockhert scored first for the Owls but a chaotic end to the match left Woods with a 2-1 loss to the first-year Blue Tigers.
From the opening kick, Woods controlled much of the possession against Lincoln. The Owls created a couple of dangerous opportunities during the open quarter hour, with
Hannah Loethen spearheading both of them.
After earning a corner in the 11th minute, and playing it short to
Aubrie Golus, Loethen held onto the return pass and danced up the touchline. After spinning free of her defender, she sent a searching cross to an unmarked
Bri Reynolds who headed the ball back across goal. Lockhert was unable to get a foot to the ball and redirect it on frame.
In the 13th minute, Loethen tested Lincoln goalkeeper Kanon Dehama with a shot from distance, but the curling effort was gathered in the six.
Lincoln tested two-time AMC Defensive Player of the Week
Belle Boschert twice on either side of the 27th minute, both on corner kicks. From the right corner, a driven outswinger from Ivanna Faria was initially snatched out of a crowd by Boschert, but she was jostled on the landing and the ball came loose. She immediately popped up to smother the danger. A minute later, an inswinger from the opposite side was headed goalward by Grace Larson but right at Boschert.
Woods took control of the momentum immediately after the halftime break, challenging the Lincoln back line. The Owls broke through for the lead in the 48th minute, as
Tess Roberts was able to shake a defender on the left touchline. She delivered an inch-perfect cross to Lockhert who nodded the ball past Dehama for her third goal of the season.
WWU very nearly doubled its lead in the 49th minute, as
Megan Hughes was upended to draw a free kick 30 yards from goal. Unfortunately, Lincoln's defense held and cleared the threat.
The Blue Tigers managed to level the game at 1-1 in the 57th minute, as Faria forced a turnover in the left corner and dribbled along the goal line. With multiple options in the 18, Faria opted instead to challenge Boschert on the near post and snuck it in.
Lincoln struck for a 2-1 lead in the 84th minute, as Faria earned and converted a penalty kick for the Blue Tigers. A midfield turnover led to a quick counterattack, and as Faria cut toward goal at the top corner of the penalty area, an Owls defender stuck out her leg to try and poke the ball away but made contact. Boschert read the penalty correctly, diving to her right, but the shot was just out of reach.
A 90th minute counter nearly brought the Owls level, as Lockhert outpaced a Lincoln defender toward the right corner of the penalty area. Lockhert was clipped as she entered the penalty area, but with the center official trailing 30 yards behind the play, Woods was awarded a free kick on the very edge of the box instead of a penalty kick.
The Owls return to the friendly confines of the North Campus Athletic Complex on Saturday, hosting Ottawa University in a noon kickoff.
