First-Half Buzzer-Beater Pushes Graceland Past Wildcats, 1-0

LAMONI, Iowa - A goal by the Yellowjackets in the final 10 seconds of the first half was enough to spoil Baker's weekend road trip as the Wildcats fell 1-0 at Graceland on Saturday night.

BU piled up a season-high 12 corner kicks and held a 14-13 advantage in shots, but couldn't break through against a GU defense that had 10 saves in the match. Emma Schieber had all three of her shots land on target, while Emeil Bennett registered a pair of shots in her full 90 minutes of action.

Making her 13th start of the year, Avery Young collected nine saves in the match and had her third straight match of allowing only one goal.

Baker earned back-to-back corner kicks within the game's first five minutes and added a couple more with Schieber and Peyton Zenger both sending a shot towards goal during the offensive start. Zenger's nearly poked through after the entry ball landed at her feet in front of the net, but the GU keeper made a diving stop.

The Wildcats' seventh corner kick of the opening half provided their closest opportunity with Grace Higgins trying to lift one in the upper corner, but it resulted in another save from the Graceland goalie.

With the final seconds of the first half winding down, the Yellowjackets scored on a long-range shot to erase a solid first 45 minutes for BU and make it a 1-0 ballgame at halftime.

Bennett almost slipped a goal in during the first few minutes of the restart after blocking a GU pass and firing off a shot on the run that just missed catching the far post. The freshman from Emporia, Kan. scored the game-tying goal for BU last weekend in its 1-1 draw with Mount Mercy.

Looking for a late equalizer, the Wildcats had a cross from Schieber to Cato in the box come up empty after Cato's shot attempt was blocked in the 81st minute.

Then, Schieber almost put one in the back of the net a few minutes later after slicing a long-distance shot, but was saved for the final time as the Yellowjackets held on for the 1-0 result.

With just three matches remaining in the regular season, Baker will host the first of back-to-back home matches with a midweek showdown against No. 20 Missouri Valley on Wednesday, Oct. 23 at 5 p.m. at Hartley Field.

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