Photo by Samantha Davis: Southwest Minnesota State University's Malorie Maderak looks to take the ball back between defenders in the first half against Minnesota State University Moorhead in a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference game Friday afternoon at Mattke Field. Maderak had a goal in the first half for the Mustangs. 

MARSHALL — With both teams looking for their first Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference match, the Southwest Minnesota State University soccer team ultimately fell short 3-2 to Minnesota State University Moorhead Friday afternoon. The loss marks five straight for the Mustangs.

MSUM got on the board first in the eighth minute, but the Mustangs found an answer toward the end of the first half with a pair of goals within a minute of each other from Jada Backes and Malorie Maderak. The Dragons had a response with a pair of goals throughout the second half to come away with the win.

“We had some good momentum going into the second half when we scored those two goals, it was 2-1 then,” SMSU head coach Clay Glasgow said. “We started the half, and I felt that we kind of dropped our energy a little bit … They [MSUM] had the momentum going then, and that’s the beauty about this game. This game can change in five or 10 minutes. And, all credit to them … For us, it was a tough loss.”

Overall, SMSU was out-shot by MSUM 10-7 and struggled with 12 foul calls to the Dragons’ five fouls. The Mustangs were also assessed three yellow cards throughout the game, given to Sophia Wilson, Brooke Wetterstrom and Jayna Benson. MSUM received one yellow card in the final minutes of the game.

“Some of it is probably lack of discipline. That [fouling] didn’t help us. We have to be a little bit more composed there. Those final minutes, sometimes you get a little bit heated,” Glasgow said. “Especially in games that are close like that, you got to make sure that you’re playing very effective in the sense of limiting your mistakes … We will watch tape tomorrow and we’ll come back in recovery … You can’t beat yourself up.”

The Mustangs had three shots on goal, while MSUM had six.

The Mustangs had a handful of good looks throughout the opening half with six shots, three of which were on goal, to MSUM’s three shots and two on goal.

The Dragons’ goal came off a corner kick and curved into the back of the net from Madalynn Hopkins at the 8:05 mark.

MSUM’s dragons continued to deflect SMSU’s offensive looks through a majority of the opening half, but the Mustangs continued to charge and tied the game up in the 41st minute off a Karla Parades-Nino corner kick. Backes received the kick and found an open pocket with the Dragons’ goalie coming up front, to put the ball into the back left corner.

Much time didn’t pass when Illjana Arbaugh fed the ball up to an open Maderak up the left side of the field, scoring another goal to put the Mustangs up 2-1 as the first half came to a close.

Freshman Kennady Krebs spent the first half in the net for SMSU, with one save off three shots faced and one allowed goal.

Sophomore Stella Litzen substituted for the second half, and tallied two saves on seven shots faced with two goals allowed.

MSUM came out firing in the beginning minutes of the second half, returning the favor and tied the match up 2-2 in the 50th minute from Brooklyn Broderick with a kick that sailed high enough over Litzen in the goal.

The Dragons eventually took the lead in the 74th minute, ultimately being enough for the win, with a goal by Ana Cecilia Walker after she took the ball up the left side of the field unassisted into the attacking third and scored the ball into the far back right of the net.

“It was a must-win,” Glasgow said about the approach into Friday’s game. “It was a must win for us. Now, we got to pick up another win [on Sunday].”

SMSU (1-5, 0-3 NSIC) will next play its second of a four-game homestand on Sunday for Senior Day, hosting Minnesota Crookston for another NSIC matchup at 1 p.m.

The Mustangs will recognize their group of seniors in Laney Brill, Sandra Kraling, Kylie Brazill, Lenee Chavez, Wetterstrom and Isabel Blanco.