Ward Nets Game Winner in Final Seconds of Season Opener

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SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – It started and ended as a picture perfect opening night for Minnesota soccer. Overcoming a scoreless battle in the final seconds, freshman Patricia Ward netted the game winner with a breakaway goal during the game's closing seconds as the Gophers defeated Utah, 1-0.

"This was such a team win and I couldn't be more proud of them," said Head Coach Stefanie Golan. "Maddie [Nielsen] did what she had to do tonight in goal and gave our back line a tremendous amount of confidence in what was behind them."

With just over 30 seconds remaining the Gophers had one last chance to get a shot off. Using her senior experience, April Bockin quickly sent the free kick to the Minnesota attacking third where Makenzie Langdok played a header perfectly to Ward. Taking one touch to gain control, Ward then fired the shot off her right foot past the diving Utah goalkeeper to net the match's only goal.

The Maroon and Gold defense were tested right out of the gates as starter Maddie Nielsen made an early save two minutes in. The back line hung tough through the next 10 minutes fending off a pair of Utah shots.

Minnesota broke through in the shot column with their best look of the half in the 17th minute. Molly Fiedler fired a shot from just outside the box that deflected right to Bockin who then fired it just right of the post.

The teams were all level at 0-0 going into the break where Utah led in shots 9-2.

Momentum started shifting the Gophers way in the second half until lightning was detected in the 73rd minute causing a 43 minute delay.

Out of the delay, Minnesota took the final five shots in the match despite being out shot 15-10.

In the shutout performance, Nielsen collected two saves in each half for a match total of four.

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