Robinson's Game Winner Pushes CC Into Playoff Position

ARDEN HILLS, Minn. (10/18/23)---Sophia Robinson's goal in the sixth minute of the second gave the Cobbers a 2-1 win at Bethel and keep Concordia in the thick of the conference playoff race.

Robinson broke the 1-1 deadlock at the 50:06 mark when she slammed home a rebound from 6-yards out. The goal gave the Cobbers the lead and eventually the win as the three points in the league standings moved them into sole possession of sixth place – the final spot for the MIAC postseason tournament.

Concordia is now 5-2-1 in its last eight games and moves to 6-5-2 in all contests. CC is 4-3-1 in MIAC play. The four league wins are the most by a Cobber team since the 2015 season when they went 7-4-0 and finished in a tie for sixth place.

The Cobbers never trailed in their penultimate conference road game. Chloe Sollom gave Concordia a 1-0 lead when she buried a shot from 25 yards out. She dispossessed a Bethel midfielder and then hit a laser that hit the underside of the crossbar and caromed off the back of the Royal goalie and into the net.          

The opening goal at 10:55 was Sollom's second of the season, and it would give the Cobbers a 1-goal advantage until the 32nd minute of play.

Bethel (3-8-2, 1-7-0 MIAC) posted the equalizer at 31:49 after a throw-in deep in the Cobbers' defensive end on the right wing. The ball was played into the penalty area, where it ricocheted off a pair of players and went to a Bethel attacker. The BU player was able to loft a shot over the top of Concordia goalie Bre Nelson and into the far corner of the net.

Concordia finished the first half by holding a 10-6 advantage in total shots.

Robinson's game-winner came after a nice passing combination in the middle of the field. Kylie Osborn was able to free freshman Emma Sheflo past the Royal left back. Sheflo raced toward goal and fired a shot on the ground, which the Bethel goalie dove to her right to make the stop. The keeper could only get a hand on the initial shot, and the rebound went directly towards the on-rushing Robinson, who 1-timed into the goal for the game-winning strike.

The Cobbers would finish the game with a 17-11 edge in total shots and a 10-5 margin in shots on goal.

Sheflo led all players with six total shots and five on frame. Robinson had three shots, and Sollom added two.

Nelson ended the day with four saves and is now 5-1-1 in her seven starts this season.

UP NEXT: Concordia will face another critical MIAC match-up on Saturday, Oct. 21, when they host second-place St. Catherine at 3:30 p.m. The Wildcats are 13-3-0 overall and 8-1-0 in the MIAC.