45th-Minute Goal Is The Difference

MOORHEAD, Minn. (10/12/16)—A goal with only 25-seconds left in the first half proved to be the difference in Concordia's 1-0 loss to regionally-ranked Augsburg.

The goal at the 44:35 mark was just about the only thing that separated the Cobbers and Auggies on the day. Both teams had quality chances to score at different points in the game and both teams carried possession for large chunks of the 90-minute contest.

The Loss is the second in-a-row for Concordia and drops their overall record to 3-7-3. CC is now 1-5-1 in the MIAC. Augsburg wins for the second straight game and 10th in the last 11 games. The Auggies are now tied for second place in the MIAC standings with a 5-1-0 record and are 10-2-0 overall.

The game-winning goal came after an Augsburg free kick just inside the Concordia defensive side of the midfield stripe. The Auggie player served the ball into the top of the penalty area where a Cobber defender headed the ball out of danger 24 yards out from a goal. A second CC defender tried to clear the ball even farther away but instead the ball bounced to an Augsburg forward who took four touched towards the right post and then fired a low shot from 19 yards out towards the left post. The ball bounced once and then slid just inside the post for the only goal of the game.

Concordia's best chances in the second half came off the foot of leading scorer Paige McCullough. McCullough got behind the defense on the right wing and hit a high shot the Auggie keeper was able to hold on to. The best chance came late in the game when McCullough cut in from the left wing and curled a shot towards the far upper corner. The ball just barely missed dropping inside the crossbar at the 86:05 mark.

Augsburg held a 10-7 edge in total shots and a 6-4 margin in shots on goal. McCullough had a team-high three total shots for CC.

Concordia goalie Maddy Reed made five saves over the 90-minute period.             
 
WHAT'S NEXT: Concordia will hit the road for a pair of games this weekend. The Cobbers' first stop will be a conference game at St. Benedict on Saturday, Oct. 15 at 1:45 p.m. CC will then head north to take on Wis.-Superior on Sunday, Oct. 16 at 1 p.m.