FARGO, N.D. - With seven ticks left on the clock, captain Emmah Burnes delivered a game-tying goal off a free kick, ultimately sending the Golden Eagles to a 2-2 draw with Minnesota State University Moorhead Thursday, October 29 at the Fargo Parks Sports Center.
The Golden Eagles and Dragons tie the second installment of the Highway 75 Rivalry Rock series, after MSU Moorhead won 1-0 August 31 in Crookston. MSU Moorhead leads the series since the two squads started playing for the Highway 75 Rivalry Rock 7-6-3. The Dragons retain the Rivalry Rock due to winning the August match-up.Â
Minnesota Crookston ties their most draws in a season with six, matching the mark in 2014. The Golden Eagles finished the season with an 0-12-6 (0-11-4 NSIC) mark. MSU Moorhead sits at 3-12-3 (2-12-2 NSIC) to conclude the 2026 slate.Â
Burnes had the game-tying goal, a season after she scored the game-winning goal against the Dragons to claim the Highway 75 Rivalry Rock in 2025.Â
The Golden Eagles were lifted by goals from Burnes, the second of her career, and Andrea Cuenca Medina (Jr., MF, South St. Paul, Minn.) tallied the first goal of her career. Minnesota Crookston finished with 15 shots, with eight on goal. The Golden Eagles had six corner kicks, while MSU Moorhead notched four. Tessa VanOverbeke (Sr., D, Hartford, S.D.), and Elise Lefers (Jr., MF/F, Brookings, S.D.) each notched three shots.
The Dragons tallied 16 shots, with six shots on goal. Alivia Thompson notched her first goal of the season, while Mary Cox claimed her fourth goal of the slate. Sophie Thompson, Clara Paleen, and Lilly Allen notched assists. Alivia Thompson paced MSU Moorhead with five shots, with two on goal. Cox tallied two shots on goal.
Minnesota Crookston set the tone in the third minute with Cuenca Medina's strike to give the Golden Eagles an early 1-0 advantage.
In the 24th minute, Clara Paleen got the quick touch off an interception and played it quickly to Sophie Thompson. Alivia Thompson got the pass from Sophie Thompson and dribbled it past the defender, and sliced it past Phoenix DeBrusk (So., GK, Thunder Bay, Ontario) for the game-tying goal.
The Dragons took a 2-1 lead in the 29th minute as Allen played a ball from deep in the Dragon defense over the top of three Golden Eagle defenders to a nice run from Cox, who scored for MSU Moorhead.
In the final minute, the officials added time back after a replay and gave the Golden Eagles a drop ball outside of the box. The official dropped it, VanOverbeke planted the ball down and Burnes struck the ball with force, deflecting off the defender and past MSU Moorhead netminder Emilia Bukholt Kristensen for the equalizer. Time soon expired, as the Golden Eagles and Dragons tied 2-2.
The goal culminated the career of 2025 All-NSIC Second Team pick, along with seven other seniors Kedin Geremiah (Winnipeg, Manitoba), VanOverbeke, Kali Yates (Hedgesville, W.V.), Autumn Rabe (Kewaskum, Wis.), Marsia Green (Waconia, Minn.), Ell Furlong (Liverpool, England), and Evelyn Dupont (Grand Forks, N.D.).
In goal, DeBrusk finished with two goals allowed and four saves. Bukholt Kristensen allowed two goals, with five saves.
