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HILLSBORO, Ore. — It's Friday we are not in love.
The Portland State women's soccer team lost its first home match in Big Sky play Friday, falling 1-0 to North Dakota off an early goal from Katie Moller. The Vikings also lost their Friday match to Eastern Washington last week, before bouncing back to beat Idaho, 2-1, on Sunday.
The Vikings will look for a similar rebound when they host Northern Colorado this Sunday, when the Vikings will also be celebrating Senior Day. The Vikings have been good at bouncing back after a loss this season, as they have only lost two matches in a row once, and have twice come back to win Sunday after losing their Friday match.
The Vikings can clinch a spot in the Big Sky tournament with a win over the Bears, as they could have Friday if they had beaten UND.
"As much as no one wants to lose, sometimes teams need this to understand how hard they need to work and how focused they need to be every game," head coach
Katie Burton said. "Our players will need to evaluate how they played as individuals and as a team to see what they could have done differently to change today's outcome."
The Fighting Hawks (6-7-3, 4-4-0 Big Sky) got out in front of the Vikings (8-8-0, 5-3-0 Big Sky) on Moller's goal in the 15th minute and held that advantage the rest of the way. Moller scored when Mimi Eiden played a ball up to her from midfield that Moller was able to run onto just outside the box. Moller's run drew Viking goalkeeper
Abbie Faingold off her line, and Moller dribbled past Faingold for an easy goal.
Moller tied the Vikings'
Katie Forsee for the Big Sky lead in goals with her ninth on the play, and also matched Forsee with her 21st point of the season with the goal.
Forsee, for her part, did everything she could to level the match for the Vikings. Forsee first threatened in the 20th minute, when she ran on to a long ball up the right side of the field. Forsee's run pulled UND goalkeeper Catherine Klein to the near post, and Forsee tried to place a low shot on the ground to the far post but it rolled out just side.
Forsee also put a shot on goal after a nice combination with freshman Teá Poore in the 35th minute. Forsee sent a bending left-footed shot on frame, but Klein reacted well and punched the ball over the crossbar for a save.
The Vikings' best chance at an equalizer came in the 72nd minute, when Forsee sent a cross into the box to freshman
Paige Donathan. Forsee had made a run up the right side of the field again, drawing Klein to the right post and leaving Donathan room to work in front of goal. Donathan tried to play her shot too quickly, however, and couldn't redirect Forsee's cross on frame.
Forsee came back just over a minute later when
Regan Russell sent her a cross from the left that she headed on frame from six yards out. Klein again was in the right place for the save, however, and blocked the ball at the right post.
Forsee finished the match with six shots, giving her record-breaking 71 on the season. Katie Miyake held the previous record with 70 shots during the 2002 season. Forsee also stands just four shots from breaking the Portland State career record that Dolly Enneking (2006-09) currently holds at 166.
It'd be a perfect setting for Forsee to break the record on Senior Day against the Bears Sunday, when the Vikings will also have their second chance at clinching a spot in the Big Sky tournament.
The Vikings and Bears will kick off at 1 p.m. Sunday at Hillsboro Stadium.
Match Notes: Friday's match marked the Fighting Hawks' first win ever against the Vikings…Redshirt senior
Kristin Moyer moved up to fourth all time in minutes played while playing the full 90 minutes Friday…Faingold moved up to sixth all time in saves in the match, and now has 145 in her Viking career.