Box Score LAKE CHARLES – Maddie Neidig's goal with six minutes remaining in the second overtime lifted the McNeese Cowgirls to a 2-1 Southland Conference win over Stephen F. Austin and keeping the Cowgirls undefeated and in first place in the league standings.
The victory snapped a 14-match winless streak against the Ladyjacks (13 losses and a 1-1 tie last year) and improved the Cowgirls to 8-3 overall (4-0 in the SLC) as they won for the sixth straight time, matching the school record of consecutive victories set in 2008. SFA fell to 4-8 and 1-4 in the league.
Neidig's game-winner was her first of the 2019 season and her second career goal.
The first half was scoreless as both defenses did not give up many opportunities. The Cowgirls were able to get off six shots, while only allowing the Ladyjacks to shoot three times.
It was in the 69th minute that SFA forward, Mattie Musser, scored the first goal of the match to give the Ladyjacks the lead. The goal came off a corner kick by Sophia Fondren that was finished off the head of Musser.
The Cowgirls rallied back just six minutes later with the equalizer off the foot of sophomore Isabel Kembel whose first goal of the year was assisted by Brianna Mascia. Kembel took a strike from just outside the box and the ball would find the net off the woodwork.
At the end of regulation, the Pokes led the Ladyjacks in shots and shots on goal, McNeese had 17 (11 on goal) and SFA had only 5 (1 on goal).
In the first overtime, McNeese put up two shots, one out top and one that was reeled in by SFA keeper Allyson Halliday. The Cowgirl defense did not allow the Ladyjacks to get off any shots.
In the second overtime, it came down to a yellow card on SFA's Katherine Shoffner that led to a free kick for the Cowgirls. Morrow was set to take the free kick and played the ball into the box where Neidig was waiting. The ball took an awkward bounce off a Ladyjack defender and was then controlled by Neidig who sent it past the keeper for the golden goal.
McNeese will travel to Nicholls (3-8-1, 0-5) for another conference match on Friday at 4 p.m. The Pokes look to set a school record by earning their seventh straight win.
Match Notes:
• Kembel and Neidig each scored their first goal of the season, and each goal was the second in each of their careers.
•Brianna Mascia earned her first assist as a Cowgirl.
• Head coach Drew Fitzgerald received a straight red card after the match and will miss Friday's game at Nicholls.
QUOTING HEAD COACH DREW FITZGERALD
"I was unaware of the winning streak; all I know is we are now 4-0 in conference and that's what matters most. (In the first half) I felt like we were in control however there was a span of 15 minutes where it looked like they had control they just weren't creating shots. We knew they were going to be dangerous off the corner and in shots from outside, I think we did a good job at stopping that today. The thing about this team is there isn't any quit in them and they show a lot of effort. Especially coming off the bench everyone plays hard in the minutes that they are given and I'm very happy with them."
QUOTING JR. MADDIE NEIDIG
"I saw we had a free kick and I knew that they had been struggling with balls over the top, so I tracked it dropped in and hit in. We have gotten pretty mentally tough and have found a way to bounce back no matter what. "No Matter What" is a slogan we have used to show that no matter what we are going to find a way to win."
