Box Score ST. PAUL, Minn. – North Dakota State fell to No. 9 Texas A&M in a penalty shootout, 4-3, after a 1-1 draw in double overtime in the first round of the NCAA Women's Soccer Championship on Friday, Nov. 12 at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium. The Bison finish the season 12-5-6.
“We played tremendous tonight,” said head coach Pete Cuadrado. “It was a really great team effort. Penalties are always a tough way to lose, but I'm very proud of our team and how they played tonight.”
The Aggies took a 1-0 lead in the seventh minute as Rachel Shipley scored on a penalty kick after a Texas A&M player was taken down in the box.
The Bison responded well after going down early, marching back down the field to earn two corner kicks. The team was unable to get a shot off though.
With 11 minutes left in the half, a Quin Ryan cross started a spell of Bison possession at the top of the box, but they were again unable to put the ball on goal.
Texas A&M held a 4-0 lead in shots on goal in the first half and Bertsch made three saves for the Bison.
The Aggies had the first chance of the second half, but Meritt Mathias' free kick was sent high.
Junior Michelle Gaffaney tallied NDSU's first shot on goal in the 51st minute after junior Abbey Stratton sent a free kick into the middle of the box.
Texas A&M came close to a second goal in the 53rd minute, but Megan Majewski's header hit the post off a corner kick before the Bison were able to clear the ball out of danger.
Texas A&M came back with three close-range chances. Bertsch came up big to keep out the first attempt and the Bison defense blocked the next two.
Senior Quin Ryan almost equalized for the Bison in the 61st minute, but her shot was deflected up onto the crossbar and out for a corner after Stratton's initial shot was blocked.
Ryan tied the game at 1-1 in the 75th minute. After receiving a long pass from Gaffaney, she beat her defender to the inside and unleashed a cracking shot into the upper right corner from the left edge of the penalty area. It was her team-leading seventh goal of the season.
Sophomore Brooklyn Dyce notched the final chance in regulation, but Aggie goalie Kristin Arnold came up with the save.
The Bison outshot the Aggies, 3-1, in the first overtime period with Ryan notching all three attempts.
In the second overtime, Shipley hit the crossbar for the Aggies on a looping shot from the top of the box, but that was the only dangerous look at goal for either team in the period.
In the penalty shootout, senior Marissa Wolfgram stepped up and gave the Bison an early lead, sinking her shot in the lower left corner. Bertsch again came up big for the Bison, diving left to save the Aggies opening spot kick from Mary Grace Schmidt.
Michelle Gaffaney put the Bison up 2-0 with a shot into the lower right corner. Rachel Shipley pulled one back for Texas A&M, sending her shot into the lower left.
Ryan gave the Bison a 3-1 lead when she sent her shot down the middle as goalie Kelly Dyer dove right. Catalina Clavijo's shot was tipped by Bertsch, but hit the post and rolled into the goal to cut the deficit to one.
Sophomore Holly Christian's attempt was saved by Dyer and Rachel Lenz tied the shootout at 3-3 with a shot into the right side of the net. Stratton's penalty shot went wide and Merritt Mathias clinched the win for Texas A&M after making her spot kick.
Bertsch made eight saves for the Bison. Texas A&M outshot NDSU, 23-11, and held a 9-4 edge in shots on goal.
The Aggies advance to play the winner of the 6 p.m. Minnesota and Creighton contest.
