The Raiders added to their best start to the regular season in program history with a win at Buena Vista University. The win is their 5th of the season, marking the earliest date reaching that total with any Raider women's soccer team in program history. The Raiders were 4-1-0 on the road and 1-1-1 during non-conference play.Â
Buena Vista started the scoring off in the 6th minute when
MadisynÂ
Reiakvam got behind the Northwestern defense on a throw in and was able to play a ball back to Rachel
Tice who was able to put the ball away past Naomi
Schimmel. The Raiders dominated the next 25 minutes holding much of the possession and the run of play. They were rewarded with a goal in the
23rd minute when
Cherish Henry made a run backside and Paige
Drenth, already inside the 18 yard box, played the extra pass to Cherish who was able to calmly put the ball over the goal line. It was Cherish's 3rd of the season.
The Raiders would double their tally 9 minutes later in the
31st minute when
Jessi Carver found herself with space and time at the top of the box after a poor clearance by BVU and was able to hit a low ball on the ground that found its way into the bottom right corner of the goal. The goal doubled
Jessi's total on the year now giving her 2 on the season.Â
The second half started off much like the first half did for the Raiders. Northwestern was able to keep the foot on the gas pedal and was able to find an early second half goal in the
47th minute off a buildup involving multiple Raiders in possession. The buildup lead to
Maddie Swift getting into the box with only the keeper to beat and she was able to tuck it away to make the score 3-1. It was Swift's first goal of the season. Buena Vista would find a way back into the game in the
77th minute when Brittany Tillman had time and space from 35 yards out and decided to hit a long shot. Her shot was able to beat Naomi
Schimmel.Â
The Raiders held strong and were able to seal the game off in the
86th minute when
Maddie Swift was able to get to the Buena Vista goal line and was able to play the ball back to
Cherish Henry who then flicked on the ball to Paige
Drenth who was able to hit the ball one-time off the post and into the net. It was Paige's first goal of the season and it put the Raiders at ease in the final few minutes.
Northwestern kicks off conference play Saturday at 5pm at the NWC Soccer Complex against #18 ranked Midland University. The Raiders were able to knock off the Warriors last year 2-0 at home.Â