FARGO, N.D. – The North Dakota State soccer team opened up Summit League play with a 3-2 victory over Oral Roberts on Friday night at Dacotah Field.
 
Olivia Lovick scored twice in less than two minutes and Jess Hanley also scored in the first half to power the Bison (1-6-1, 1-0-0 Summit League) to their first victory of the season.
 
Lovick started the scoring in the 17^th minute after a great run from Alicia Nead through the middle of the Golden Eagles (3-6-1, 0-1-1 Summit) defense. Working the ball toward the top of the box, Nead found Lovick on the left side of the penalty area. Lovick scored her first goal of the season with a left-footed strike on her first touch, beating Louisa Ramsauer to the near side to put NDSU ahead 1-0.
 
Less than two minutes later, Kelsey Kallio would find Lovick at the top of the box. Lovick worked to her left and then fired across goal into the bottom right corner to double the lead for the Bison.
 
Oral Roberts would respond with a goal of their own against the run of play in the 24^th minute. Samantha See curled a ball into the top right corner from a tight angle on the left side to cut the Bison lead in half.
 
However, NDSU would respond almost immediately. Less than two minutes later Jess Hanley scored her first goal of the season. The midfielder took the ball off the foot of an ORU midfielder and fired a shot from about 24 yards out off the left post and in to the top corner to restore the two-goal lead.
 
The Bison would carry a 3-1 lead into the break. NDSU outshot ORU 10-7 over the first 45 minutes with Sofia Howe making two saves in the first half.
 
In the second 45 minutes, Oral Roberts would hold a majority of the possession early on. The Golden Eagles would outshoot the Bison 10-7 in the half, but Howe made two more comfortable saves.
 
Oral Roberts would get a goal back in the 68^th minute as the Golden Eagles were awarded a penalty for a handball in the box. Pamela Caballeros slotted the penalty into the lower left corner to cut the Bison lead to 3-2.
 
For Lovick, it is her second career two-goal game, as she also scored two goals in Summit League action last season against Western Illinois. Her two goals move her into sole possession of first on the active scoring list with eight career goals, breaking a tie with Brookelyn Dew. Lovick is also now the active points leader with 18.
 
Lovick also has a 100 percent scoring record against ORU in three games. She has four career goals against Oral Roberts and Ramsauer, after scoring in both matches against the Golden Eagles last season.
 
Like Lovick, Hanley also last scored for the Bison in a game against Oral Roberts last year. It is her second career goal against the Golden Eagles and third overall. Hanley's goal also proved to be her first career game-winning goal for the Bison.
 
Howe finished the game with four saves, picking up her first victory of the season.
 
Statistically the Bison held the edge in shots 15-14. ORU led in shots on goal 6-5. NDSU finished with a 4-3 edge in corner kicks.
 
The Bison will jump right back into Summit League action on Sunday, as North Dakota State will welcome in Kansas City for the second of three-straight matches at Dacotah Field to begin league play. NDSU will host the Roos with kickoff set for 12 p.m. on October 3.