MOORHEAD, Minn. - The University of Minnesota Crookston soccer team used a 34th minute goal from Elise Lefers (So., F, Brookings, S.D.) off a Payton King (Fr., GK, Fairfield, Calif.) assist to pick up a 1-0 win over Minnesota State University Moorhead. The Golden Eagles bring home the Highway 75 Rivalry Rock for the first time since 2021, and the fourth time since the trophy began being awarded in 2013. 

Minnesota Crookston improved to 1-1-1 (0-0-0 NSIC) with the victory. They earned their earliest win over a Division II opponent since defeating MSU Moorhead 1-0 September 17, 2021. These Golden Eagles are the fastest to score two goals in a season since 2022, and against Division II foes since 2018. The Dragons dropped to 1-1-1 (0-0-0 NSIC) with the loss. The win is the first as the Minnesota Crookston boss for Head Coach Danny Burstein.

Lefers scored her first career goal to lead the U of M Crookston. King became the first goalie since 2007 to earn a point, picking up the assist. The Dragons outshot the Golden Eagles 24-12 overall, and 10-7 on goal, but Minnesota Crookston made their chances worthwhile. They proved their offensive acumen, controlling the ball many minutes of Saturday's game oftentimes proving to be the more aggressive of the sides. 

Aleisha Cortez (Fr., MF, South St. Paul, Minn.) proved dangerous along the left wing, with a team-high four shots, and two shots on goal. Sydney Christopherson (So., MF/F, Sioux Falls, S.D.) chipped in two shots. Lefers notched three shots on goal. 

The Dragons were guided by seven shots from Madelynn Hopkins, while Kaci Malo had five. 

King has been strong in net with her second career clean sheet in just two games started for the Golden Eagles. She tallied 10 saves, and earned her first career win. Rylee Truslow allowed one goal, and made six saves Friday. 

MSU Moorhead out shot Minnesota Crookston 13-6 overall in the first half, but both teams had five shots on goal apiece in the opening 45 minutes. 

The Dragons had an early chance as MSU Moorhead put a ball behind the Golden Eagle defense, but a Lilly Johnson shot would be put away by King. 

Minnesota Crookston responded by continuing to put pressure on the Dragon defense resulting in a Christopherson shot on frame, saved by Truslow. The Golden Eagles had another dangerous opportunity off a Cortez cross into the box that Truslow pushed away. In the ninth minute, Cortez placed another dangerous cross right in front of goal where Christopherson headed it out wide left. 

The Dragons put together an attack as Mary Cox got the ball just outside of the 18-yard box, but put it out wide of the net in the 17th minute. MSU Moorhead obtained back-to-back corner kicks but were unable to put together anything dangerous. 

The Golden Eagles continued to threaten along the left wing with Cortez, who put on another dangerous cross into the box, put away by Truslow. Minnesota Crookston put together back-to-back corner kicks in the 22nd and 23rd minutes but were unable to find pay dirt. 

The Dragons put up another chance off a throw-in in the 26th minute but Cox put it over the net. MSU Moorhead mounted a threat in the 31st minute but the Malo opportunity was shut down by King. Malo put on a header in the 33rd minute, however King was there to put away the threat.

Immediately following the shot on goal by Malo, King played a beautiful bouncing ball on the goal kick that was gathered by Lefers and put in the back of the net to give Minnesota Crookston a 1-0 advantage in the 34th minute. King's assist was the first point for a goalie since Anna Ogaard scored a goal in 2007.

In the 37th minute, Callie Holthaus (So., MF/F, Richmond, Minn.) found Lefers for another dangerous chance but Truslow gathered the save to keep the game 1-0. The Dragons looked to equalize in the 41st minute with a Malo chance but King corralled the ball for the U of M Crookston. 

The majority of the first seven minutes of the second half were played on Minnesota Crookston's defensive half of the field with two corners generated by the Dragons. The Golden Eagles put forth their first opportunity in the second frame when Burnes put one over the crossbar in the 53rd minute. Minnesota Crookston continued their threat with back-to-back shots as Cortez gained space at the top of the attack and put it over frame, followed by Lefers who had a one-on-one with Truslow saved by the Dragon netminder. 

MSU Moorhead looked to counter as Malo had a one-on-one with King but the ball was put over the frame in the 57th minute. In the 59th minute, Johnson had a shot gathered by King as the lead remained 1-0. The Dragons had a dangerous free kick in the 62nd minute from Ana Cecilia Walker, but the ball went wide of the net. 

Minnesota Crookston had a strong chance in the 65th minute as Kedin Geremiah threaded the needle to Sarah Burgum (Sr., F, Mandan, N.D.), but Burgum's chance was put away by Truslow. 

MSU Moorhead looked to find the equalizer in the final 15 minutes. In the 77th minute, Cox put one over the bar to keep it 1-0 in favor of the Golden Eagles. In the 85th minute, MSU Moorhead put a flurry of chances on net with King putting them away, along with Norah Lutz on the goal line. The Dragons had chances late beginning in the 89th minute from Walker, but King was able to put it away. MSU Moorhead had one last chance right at the end from Hopkins, but the Golden Eagles picked up the 1-0 victory. 

Minnesota Crookston returns home to host Wayne State College Friday, September 19, and Augustana University Sunday, September 21.