Offense Is A Payne For Minn.-Morris

MOORHEAD, Minn. (9/21/16)—It was bound to happen. After scoring only two goals in their first six games the Cobber offense exploded for five goals against Minn.-Morris and beat the Cougars 5-0.

Led by Emily Wendorff and Emily Payne, Concordia earned its first victory of the season and is now 1-3-3 on the year.

Wendorff led the Cobber offensive showcase as she scored three goals and assisted on the other two CC scores and finished with eight points on the day. Payne, playing in her 34^th career game for the Cobbers,  scored her first collegiate goal which turned out to be the game winner.

Paige McCullough also got into the scoring barrage. She came away with a four-point game by scoring the team's third goal and assisting on the first two goals.

Not only did Concordia dominate on the scoreboard but they also held the majority of possession. The Cobbers outshot the Cougars 34-1 in total shots and 19-0 in shots on goal. The 34 total shots are the most this season and most since the 2013 season when they put up 47 against Domincan.

Payne put Concordia up 1-0 at the 12-minute mark of the first half. She beat a Morris defender to the ball on a centering pass from McCullough. Payne's one-time shot went through the goalie's legs.

Wendorff would start her hat-trick game by netting Concordia's second score at 28:35. She was played in behind the Morris defense on the left wing and then beat the keeper on the ground towards the far post.

Concordia would put the game away with a pair of goals just over 2-minutes apart at the start of the second half. McCullough "roofed" a shot from seven yards out at the 47:31 mark and then Wendorff added her second at 49:51.

The final goal of the game came in the final eight minutes of play. Freshman Kalli Baarstad served the ball on a corner kick and Wendorff met the cross on the back post and headed it towards the back post.

For Baarstad it was her first collegiate point.

McCullough and Alexandra Jones had a game-high six shots each while McCullough and Wendorff tied for the team lead in shots on goal. McCullough and Jones had six total shots each. McCullough and Wendorff had four shots on goal. In the end, 11 different CC players had at least one shot in the game.

The Cobbers split the goalkeeping duties. Maddy Reed played the first 78:15 while junior Jordan Martins finished off the final 11:45. Neither goalie had to make a save in the game.    

WHAT'S NEXT: Concordia will return to conference play when they play at St. Olaf on Saturday, Sept. 24 at 1 p.m.  

Concordia vs. Minn.-Morris Highlights & Postgame Interview