September 28, 2016
BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Heidelberg University women's soccer team led 4-1 with less than two minutes to play before a pair of Bluffton tallies gave the Beavers momentum heading into Heartland Conference play this weekend despite a 4-3 loss to the Student Princes on an overcast Wednesday, Sept. 28. Bluffton ends non-conference play with a 0-5 mark, while Heidelberg goes into OAC action with a 5-3-2 mark.
Junior defender Brittany Huff (Union/Northmont) hit from the back forty in minute 14 for Bluffton's first tally of the season, putting the home team on top 1-0! McKenzie Perry made it 1-1 midway through the period with her first goal of the season thanks to a nice feed from Denise Bowes.
Perry hit paydirt again in minute 57, putting the Student Princes up 2-1. Shae-Lynn Hallowell made it 3-1 just five minutes later before the teams combined for three goals in the final 3;12 of the match. Maureen Kelly seemingly iced the contest with her goal at the 86:48 mark, but the Beavers didn't get the memo.
Freshman Katie Spalding (Perrysburg/Owens Community College) headed in Skylar Liming's (St. Marys/Memorial)) corner kick inside of two minutes and Brittany Huff found Erica Keller (Swanton) with less than a minute to play, forcing Heidelberg to play keep-away for the final 40 seconds as the Student Princes barely held on for the 4-3 victory.
The visitors finished with a 30-8 edge in shots. Bluffton ended the afternoon with three corner kicks and nine fouls, compared to a pair of corners and eight fouls for Student Princes. Freshman keeper Kayla Penrod (Marysville) was back in goal and she was solid with 14 saves.
Bluffton will look to use the momentum gained during the final minutes of tonight's match when the Beavers open Heartland Conference play on Saturday afternoon. The HCAC lidlifter with Earlham College is slated for 1 p.m. at the Sears Complex. Come out and make a day of it with a soccer doubleheader at Bluffton University!
-BEAVERS-
