By Ryan Schadewald, sports information assistant

Stats http://www.bluffton.edu/athletics/womenssoccer/2013/08-31-ws.pdf

The season opener for the Bluffton University women’s soccer team turned into a thriller of a match with both teams ending regulation tied at two goals apiece. However, it just would not be enough to get the Beavers a victory as they fell by a score of 3-2 to the Huntington University Foresters on Saturday, August 31, 2013. The winning goal was scored exactly one minute into the overtime period by Karina Maldanado.

The game began with the Beavers fighting off several chances by the Foresters before Jessica Krause was able to break through with a goal in minute 12. While Huntington had several more chances later in the first half, Beaver goalie Maggie Armstrong (Vevay, Ind./Switzerland Cty.) was able to limit the damage to only one goal in the half.

The Beavers came storming out in the second half, however, as they earned their fair share of chances before freshman Kristen Tropf (Findlay/Van Buren) finally capitalized and scored the first goal of her collegiate career, knotting the match at one tally apiece in the 55th minute. Just three minutes later, Aimee Whitmer (Grand Rapids/Otsego) would take a deep shot from about 50 yards out that found the back of the net and gave Bluffton their first lead of the season, a 2-1 advantage.

Just a minute after that, though, Huntington took advantage with a penalty kick goal from Jessica Krause, her second goal of the afternoon, to tie the game at two. The rest of regulation was was played between the 18's without many more scoring opportunities as regulation came to a close before Maldanado scored the game winner early in the extra period.