EUGENE, Ore.  – The NCU women's soccer team dropped another close match on Friday evening, falling to Oregon Tech, 2-1 despite controlling the pace of play throughout the night.
 
After OIT scored a goal early in the first half, the Beacons responded with the equalizer in the 86th minute. The Owls, however, got the goal back just two minutes later, sending the visitors to their first CCC win of the season.
 
A scoreless first-half saw just three total shot attempts including one for NCU and two for Oregon Tech.
 
OIT posted the first score of the contest in the 54th minute when Jodie Roech scored into an empty net after Bailey Pimentel's cross brought the Beacon keeper out to try and make the stop.
 
The Beacons controlled the rest of the period, evidenced by a 6-0 margin in Corner Kicks and an 8-2 edge in shot attempts from that point. The team was finally able to break through when senior Melyssa Weber fired home a 20-yard blast into the upper V off a pass from Mikaila Riddle, placing the ball where nobody would have been able to reach it.
 
Head Coach Jessica Cardwell said, "Mel came up huge for us with that game-tying goal. She has grown so much as a player and leader and that was her taking the team on her back and doing everything she could for us."
 
In an eerily similar play just moments later, Chrishtianna Newell did the same thing on the other end, taking a pass from Tori Roberts and chipped the goal in over a leaping NCU keeper for the winner.


With the loss, NCU drops to 0-7-1 on the season including a 0-3 mark in the Cascade Collegiate Conference. OIT improves to 3-4-1, 1-2 in the CCC.
 
 "Once again we were the better team and had the chance to take this game from our opponent," said Cardwell. "We are struggling to find the sense of urgency in each play. With that said, I am so proud of these young women and the work that they have put in. We are a team that has the ability to challenge for a win in every game, we just need to add that competitive drive to show up."
 
Oregon Tech will return to action on Saturday, traveling to face Corban University. NCU will stay home and host Southern Oregon University at 4:30 pm.