Western Illinois contained the Roos’ inconsistent offense on Friday, squeezing in a mid-match goal to defeat Kansas City 1-0.
The match was a defensive slugfest, and Kansas City’s defense played their hearts out for the entire 90 minutes of play.
Throughout the first half, however, the Leathernecks smeared the Roos’ offense with ease. After 45 minutes, the Roos had attempted only three shots with each sailing past the goal. While the defense played stupendously early on, the offense looked stumped.
Sophomore goalkeeper Mackenzie Caldwell continues to be the anchor that this Roos’ defense desperately needs. Before the halftime whistle, she was flying all across the box, notching four incredible saves. Meanwhile, the defenders backed up Caldwell by constantly hustling up and down the field.
Early in the second half, Western Illinois set themselves up for a game-deciding possession. The Leathernecks’ aggressive attack pounced at the right time. They would score a goal in the 50th minute.
From that point forward, both teams kept it within striking distance. While Kansas City had its fair share of opportunities, it wasn’t enough to come back against this solid Western Illinois squad.
Once again, the star of this showdown was Caldwell. She amassed seven saves, which makes it the seventh match where she has had seven or more saves this season. Talk about a great season.
Falling to 5-12, the Roos will commence their Summit League tournament at Denver, Colorado from Nov. 4 to Nov. 6.
