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SPRING ARBOR, Mich. – The No. 1 ranked Spring Arbor University women’s soccer team battled back from an early deficit to defeat No. 2 Lindsey Wilson College 2-1 in the NAIA Game of the Week on Saturday night at the Cougar Soccer Complex.

 

Junior Aubrey Schierbeek scored a pair of goals, including the game-winner in the 67th minute to lift SAU past the Blue Raiders, and extend the team’s winning streak to 24 consecutive matches. The Cougars improved to 5-0 while Lindsey Wilson suffered its third straight setback – all to Top 10 ranked opponents – to drop to 2-3 overall.

 

“Lindsey Wilson is a great, well coached program and we have tremendous respect for them,” said head coach Jason Crist. “Tonight was a good result for our group.”

 

The highly anticipated rematch of the 2015 national championship game lived up to all the hype and expectations. Spring Arbor, who upset Lindsey Wilson to capture its first national title a season ago, dominated the match early on. The Cougars ripped seven shots, including one off the crossbar by Schierbeek, and earned three corner kicks through the first 20 minutes, but an outstanding effort by the LWC goalkeeper Johanna Henriksson kept SAU off the board.

 

The momentum shifted in the blink of an eye, however, after Lindsey Wilson draw a foul just outside the 18-yard box. On the ensuing free kick, Delfina Santellan blasted a shot through a wall of defenders that snuck past SAU’s Ashley Timmons to the far post to give the Blue Raiders a 1-0 lead in the 22nd minute.

 

Spring Arbor answered back, though, and found the equalizer in the 38th minute to level the score heading into halftime. After Lindsey Wilson failed to clear a loose ball, sophomore Bethany Balcer slotted a pass through to Scheirbeek, who fired a shot from 20 yards out that beat the diving keeper.

The two titans continued to battle in the second half. Lindsey Wilson held the advantage early in the period, but Spring Arbor, spurred on by a boisterous, capacity crowd, would not be denied as Schierbeek found the back of the net for the second time of the night in the 67th minute to put SAU in front for good. Balcer carried the ball into the attacking third before dishing to freshman Kaley Buck, and Buck found the feet of an unmarked Schierbeek, whose shot from the top of the 18 ricocheted off the post and in.

 

Lindsey Wilson would have more chance late in the stanza, but Timmons would come up with a huge save to secure the victory.

 

Spring Arbor, who earned its second straight win over Lindsey Wilson, outshot the visitors 14-7 on the night and held a 6-2 edge in corner kicks. The goal scored by LWC snapped a streak of 14 consecutive shutouts for the Cougars.

 

“We played very well for about two-thirds of the match today,” commented Crist. “It was unfortunate to give up a goal on a set piece, but the players battled back and showed great resilience after dominating the first half and going behind early.”

 

Crist added, “It is such an honor to play in the setting we get to play in. The home crowd, and especially The Firm, truly is our 12th man, and the ladies love playing at home in front of our fans.”

 

The slate will not get any easier for Spring Arbor as the team travels to Kentucky next weekend to take on a pair of Top 25 ranked sides. The Cougars will meet No. 8 Martin Methodist College (5-0-1) on Friday, Sept. 16 and No. 20 Olivet Nazarene University (2-0-2) on Saturday, Sept. 17.

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