WAVERLY, Iowa – Women's soccer fell to Saint Mary's University (Minn.) 1-0 in its season opener on Monday, Sept. 2 at Salzwedel Field. Saint Mary's moves to 2-0 overall on the season while the Knights drop to 0-2 overall.
 
Match Summary

• First Half
  • Paige Lienhard got the match underway with a shot on goal in just the third minute that was saved by SMU
  • After 13 minutes of back and forth play, each offense had a shot attempt that went off target
    • Nikayla Youngblut recorded the shot for Wartburg
  • The Cardinals had their first on-target shot in the 23^rd minute but it was saved by Mackenzie Ceschan
  • After another Ceschan save, Lauren Kirkle got free for a shot attempt that just missed the target to the left
  • Skyler Oldenburg, Kirkle, Lienhard and Abigail Milburn all recorded shots in the final 10 minute of the half, but the score remained 0-0 at the break
    • Lienhard's attempt was the only shot on goal
• Second Half
  • Each side opened the half with a save from its keeper to preserve the 0-0 tie
    • Wartburg's shot on goal came from Kenna Hemann
  • After off-target shots from Maddy Badding and Kirkle, it was Lienhard with another shot on goal that was saved by SMU's Anna Peckosh in the 54^th minute
  • Ceschan made two more saves for Wartburg in the 58^th and 72^nd minutes, but Saint Mary's was able to score in the 74^th minute to take a 1-0 lead
  • Sami Webster had a shot that deflected off of the crossbar back into a shot for Claudia Sewell, but the attempt was just off target in the 84^th minute
  • Both Greta Rothe and Webster had shot attempts in the final minutes that missed to the left
  • SMU held off Wartburg for a 1-0 win

 
Top Performers

• Paige Lienhard
  • Four total shots
    • Three shots on goal
  • 90 minutes played
• Lauren Kirkle
  • Four total shots
  • 85 minutes played
• Mackenzie Ceschan
  • Seven saves
  • 81 minutes played

 
Notes/Streaks

• Wartburg now leads the all-time series 2-1
  • All matchups have come in past three seasons
• The Knights finished with 21 total shots compared to the Cardinals' 11 but SMU had an 8-4 advantage in shots on goal
• Career high's for both Lienhard (shots/shots on goal – four/three) and Ceschan (saves - seven)
• Saint Mary's held a 4-2 advantage in corner kicks

 
Next Time Out
The Knights are in action next Saturday, Sept. 7 for a neutral site match against Illinois Wesleyan University in River Forest, Ill.