HAYS, Kan. -- Jaden Skinner continued her offensive tear for Missouri Western on Friday night, as her 58th-minute goal led the Griffons to a 1-0 win over Fort Hays State. Anna Mayer recorded five saves to record her league-leading fourth shutout of the season.
The first half saw a majority of action in the middle third, although Mayer recorded four of her five saves in the opening 45 minutes.
Missouri Western came out of the halftime break pressing the attack and it yielded dividends within the first quarter hour. Playing the ball out of the back, the Griffons were able to connect several passes through the FHSU midfield and threatened on the right wing. An errant touch on the final pass gave the Tigers an opportunity to clear, but the attempt squibbed right to a wide-open Skinner at the top of the 18-yard box. The sophomore tapped the ball in with her left foot past a scrambling Deonna Wellbrock.
The goal opened up the match a bit, with Tina Palmieri nearly doubling MWSU's lead in the 62nd minute and again in the 75th. Skinner forced Wellbrock into a save in the 84th, but the Tigers would put together one final chance in the 90th minute.
After a shot by Kelsey Burkey went wide of goal, Fort Hays launched a last-ditch counterattack. With the ten-second countdown echoing across the pitch, Jordan Thompson let loose a right-footed blast from 30 yards out, but Mayer calmly collected her fifth save of the night and held for the last six seconds.
The Griffons move to 6-3-2 (3-1-0 MIAA) on the year and will continue their four-game road trip on Sunday. Kickoff against Nebraska-Kearney is set for 1 p.m.