Rollercoaster Ride Ends With Unkind Plummet

MOORHEAD, Minn. (9/09/12)—No.12-ranked Concordia's rollercoaster ride on Sunday against regional rival Wartburg unfortunately ended with the Cobbers plummeting from the top of a steep drop. Concordia spotted the Knights two goals in the first 36 minutes of play before rallying to tie the second in the second half only to be done in by a goal in the final six minutes of play.

The 3-2 loss is the first defeat of the season for the Cobbers. CC is now 2-1- on the year. Wartburg, who entered the weekend ranked No.7 in the North Region, has now won three straight and improves to 4-1-0 on the year.                   

Concordia played the game in spurts as they created chances throughout the game.  The post was once again unkind to CC. On Saturday the Cobbers hit the "metal" on four occasions and each time the ball caromed out of the net and into the field of play. On Sunday, senior All-American forward Sarah Rounds clanged three shots off the post and all three rolled away from the goal.

Rounds' first metal mark came in the 11^th minute. CC junior wing Gina Weiss also had a chance at the start of the game but her breakaway never produced a shot. Wartburg took the first lead of the game when Cathy Reiter curled in a shot from 20 yards out on the left side of the penalty area.

Concordia then dug themselves into a bigger hole when goalie Ali Nelson was whistled for an elbowing foul in the penalty area and then given a yellow card. Kaylee Benning's penalty shot then hit the post, caromed off the diving Nelson and rolled into the goal.

Down 2-0 in the 36^th minute, Concordia started to move up the tracks when they were awarded a penalty kick of their own after a Knight defender handled the ball in her own penalty area. Rounds calmly stepped up and hammered home the shot and brought CC to within one at 2-1.

Rounds then brought the Cobbers level at the start of the second half when she headed home a corner kick crossing service in the 49^th minute of play. For Rounds it was her team-leading fifth goal of the season.  Jamie St. Germain and Emma Ekdahl were credited with assists on the play.

The Cobbers looked like they would continue to add to their goal total in the final 30 minutes of the final half, but each time their shot either found the Wartburg goalie, hit the post or sailed off target.

The Knights won the game against the run of play in the 84^th minute when Lauern Bauer poked home a loose ball from six yards out after a corner kick service was bobble on the goal line.

Concordia staged a late-game rally but their two best chances were stopped by Warburg keeper Monica Noti.

Concordia wound up outshooting the Knights 15-13 in overall shots for the game. The Knights had a 10-7 edge in shots on goal.

CC will look to get back on the winning track when they host Hamline in the conference opner on Wednesday, Sept. 12 at 4 p.m.