ST. JOSEPH, Mo. -
Camrin Peaslee's goal in the second half helped the undefeated Griffons (11-0-1, 6-0-0 MIAA) secure a 1-0 victory over No. 5 Central Missouri (7-3-2. 4-1-1) on a windy Sunday afternoon at Spratt Stadium.
"I am proud of how the girls battled today. Everyone had a strong week of practice leading up to this match, and being able to take care of business on Friday and then get the job done on Sunday was awesome," commented Head Coach
Jacob Plocher. "I was proud of how we survived the strong wind in the first half and took advantage of the opportunity in the second half," Plocher added. "Holding onto it at the end showed a lot of this team's grit and heart."
Neither team gained an advantage in a defensive-heavy first half, with both teams managing only three shots each.
Corinne Stewart led Missouri Western with two shots in the half and came close to scoring her third goal of the season after one of her attempts ricocheted off the post.
In the 52nd minute, following a corner kick,
Kendall Knisley took a well-placed shot that forced Jennies' goalkeeper Kristen Wright to make a heads up save. However, Peaslee was in the right place at the right time to chip in the ultimate game-winning goal that was dished back to her from
Aidyn Woodall.
Despite leading late, the Griffons' offense did not ease up. They outshot UCM 6-5 in the final 38 minutes and controlled the pace of play in the closing stages to secure their first victory over Central Missouri since 2018.
Keeley Kroonenberg (9-0-1) achieved her fourth clean sheet of the season after making two saves. The senior goalkeeper also had a shot on goal in the second half, which had to be punched out of the right corner during a free kick opportunity.
Woodall,
Katelynn Rowland,
Annie McDevitt,
Lauren Nylund and
Brookelyn Buttolph each played crucial roles in the shutout after playing the full 90 minutes on the pitch.
Western will hit the road once next weekend, beginning with Friday's contest against the Nebraska-Kearney Lopers. Kickoff from Ron & Carol Cope Stadium at Foster Field is scheduled to start at 2:00 p.m.
