VERMILLION, S.D.—South Dakota sophomore striker
Sammie Villwock finished off a Coyote fast break and junior goalkeeper
Sydney Hardin nabbed seven saves as the Coyotes topped Omaha 1-nil at First Bank & Trust Soccer Complex Friday afternoon.
South Dakota (4-13-1, 3-4-0) has defeated all three Summit opponents that have visited the First Bank & Trust Soccer Complex in its inaugural season. Overall, the Coyotes are 4-3 at home. Omaha (5-10-3, 3-3-1) has yet to win a road game this fall.
The lone goal of the match came in the 58th minute as the Coyotes took advantage of a 3-on-2 situation. Redshirt-freshman midfielder
Kellee Willer carried the ball up the center of the field with Villwock on the left flank and freshman striker
Taryn LaBree on the right. Willer sliced the ball through the defense to LaBree, who dribbled at Omaha goalkeeper Haley Shelton in order to draw Shelton off her line.
LaBree sent a short cross in front of the goal line to Villwock crashing on the far side. Villwock tapped it just inside the left post for her fourth goal of the season.
Hardin played the full 90 minutes between the posts for the second time this season. She nabbed a season-high seven saves, including a diving save that deflected off her knee in the 29th minute, to earn the shutout. Hardin has 98 career saves, which ranks seventh in program history. Junior defender
Katlin Ptacek also deflected an Omaha shot-on-goal in the 83rd minute.
Omaha edged South Dakota in shots 13-12 and tallied eight shots-on-goal. Maverick midfielder Lydia Holtmann led Omaha's attack with five shots, placing four on-target.
The Coyotes host Fort Wayne for the final regular season match at noon Sunday. Coyote seniors
Corey Strang and
Brooke Watson will be honored prior to the start of the game.