CROOKSTON, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston women's soccer team fell 2-0 to the University of Sioux Falls Friday, October 22 at the UMN Crookston Soccer Field in Crookston, Minn. The Golden Eagles played perhaps their best half in the three years of Head Coach Kyle Halfpop in the opening stanza, but two goals for USF in the second half would be enough.

Sioux Falls improved to 3-8-3 (3-5-3 NSIC) with the victory. Minnesota Crookston moved to 1-13-0 (1-10-0 NSIC).

The Golden Eagles were the aggressor in the first 45 as they had seven shots compared to two in the first frame for USF. Sioux Falls did not put a single shot on goal in the first half.
Minnesota Crookston's first chance on frame came in the fifth minute on a chance from Brooklyn Fischbach (Fr., MF/F, South St. Paul, Minn.).  In the 18^th minute, Jacqueline Calderon (So., MF, Indio, Calif.) had her chance stopped by Caroline Titze. In the 35^th minute, Fischbach had another strike put away by Titze to keep the score at 0-0.

The Golden Eagles were in a solid spot tied up 0-0 with the Cougars at the break.

However, Sioux Falls came out on a mission in the first half and controlled the offensive side of the pitch early on. The Cougars had six shots off target in the first eight minutes of the half.

Their first shot on goal would be their first goal as Grace Held beat Emma Stempien (Fr., GK, Plymouth, Mich.) for a ball played from the back and ended up putting away the shot on an empty net.

The Cougars added a goal off a corner in the 84^th minute when Bailey Kehrli headed the ball off Aundria Vargas' corner.

Minnesota Crookston's best scoring chance came just seconds later after the restart when Calderon played a long ball on frame and the ball bounced off the crossbar and landed just in front of the goal.

The Golden Eagles were unable to muster up any more crucial opportunities as Sioux Falls took the game 2-0 over Minnesota Crookston.

The tilt was a reunion for Head Coach Kyle Halfpop with USF Head Coach Brittany Domino. Halfpop was an assistant coach at USF prior to being named the head man at UMN Crookston in 2019.

Fischbach and Calderon paced Minnesota Crookston with two shots on goal apiece.  UMN Crookston finished with nine shots, with four on frame. Abby Olsen (So., GK, Chisago City, Minn.) had a clean sheet in the first half with no saves. Stempien gave up two goals and notched three saves.

Held led Sioux Falls with four shots and one goal. Abby Whitington chipped in three shots. Titze got the shutout for the Cougars with four saves on the day.

Friday also marked senior day for UMN Crookston. The Golden Eagles honored fifth-year player Gabriela Pinto (R-Sr., D, Beaverton, Ore.) at the half. They also honored recent addition Leah Macias (Sr., MF/F, West Covina, Calif.) and Hannah Macias (Sr., MF/F, West Covina, Calif.), who joined the team this season.

The Golden Eagles will host Southwest Minnesota State University Sunday, October 24 at 1 p.m. at the UMN Crookston Soccer Field.