Dealing with the adversity of not having their normal starting goalkeeper due to injury, UMKC looked to freshman Anna Lillig in her first-career start in-goal, and also dealing with a time zone change and their first flight of the season, the ‘Roos were up against all odds facing CSU Bakersfield Friday night in Bakersfield, California. It took all 19 players and 102 minutes, but the ‘Roos found a way to win 3-2.
The ‘Roos (8-4-1, 2-1-1 WAC) looked to push the issue early and in the third minute Howard took the first shot of the night for UMKC that was saved out of bounds by the CSUB (4-7-2, 2-1-1 WAC) goalkeeper for a corner kick. Freshman Reighan Childers set up and sent a beauty of a corner into the box that the Roadrunner keeper attempted to punch away, but instead tapped it into perfect position for sophomore forward Kara Priest to head it in for the opening salvo, her third goal of the season.
Feeling good about taking the early lead on the road, the momentum of the game quickly switched when CSUB put in a goal off a corner from three yards out in the ninth minute.
With momentum in tow, the Roadrunners took advantage of a UMKC team that was still trying to adjust to the 90-plus degree temperatures and took the lead in the 16th minute in front of a home crowd of 867 fans.
Head coach Chris Cissell could tell his players were battling the elements and sent in sub after sub, trying to keep his team’s legs fresh, knowing his squad would find a way to fight back, which is exactly what they did.
Lillig settled herself and made two big saves to prevent any further damage by CSUB before the intermission.
Out of the break, like they have all season, the ‘Roos continued to grind, putting up shot after shot, determined to find a way back into the game. A 69th minute penalty kick from junior Emily Herndon looked like it would level the score, but a save from the CSUB keeper kept the Roadrunners’ lead in-tact.
UMKC dominated the possession and kept pressuring the Runners’ back line, and in the 83rd minute, the pressure was more than CSUB could handle and freshman forward Kelsey Mothershead put in the equalizer, her third goal of the season, off an assist from sophomore Nikki Lynch.
Priest had two more looks in the closing minutes of the second half, but the CSUB keeper saved both to prevent the game-winner in regulation.
The ‘Roos attempted just one shot in the first overtime, but Lillig made a game-extending save when she stopped a missile from the Roadrunners’ keeper who came up and fired from 35 yards out in the final seconds of overtime number one.
Childers opened the second overtime with a shot that forced a corner in the 102nd minute. She took the corner kick and found freshman Lexie Howard in the box who headed it in for the game-winner, her team-leading sixth goal of the season, and fourth game-winner, to lift the ‘Roos over CSUB 3-2.
“I am so proud of the persistence and perseverance our girls showed tonight,” Cissell said post-match. “Every single one of our girls we had available played tonight, and each-and-every one of them went out there and gave it all they had. We didn’t go into overtime looking for a draw, we went in for the win, and we came out with one.”
The ‘Roos pick up conference action on Sunday, October 11, when they face Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona at the GCU Soccer Field. The match is scheduled to kick off at 3 p.m. central, and will be aired live on the WAC Digital Network.