Boxscore

WATERTOWN, WI - Any coach or player will tell you that injuries are simply a part of the game and should be expected. But when nearly half your team is struggling with some type of aliment, well, that's just down right frustrating.

The women's soccer team allowed four first half goals in their opening game of 2008 in a sloppy opening period that proved to be too big a deficit to overcome. The Crimson Eagles were outshot a lopsided 11-0 in the first 45 minutes with not a single shot or corner recorded.

"It's tough when you're team is hit with as many injuries as we have right now," Head Coach Dave Loesser noted. "As the numbers obvioulsy suggest, we just really struggled to get things going in the opening period."

With roughly seven of PBU's 16 roster players struggling with some type of inury, Maranatha Baptist Bible College made sure to capitalize, wearing down the able-bodied Crimson Eagle players who were forced to play heavy minutes in their season opener. The Crusaders scored a goal roughly every eight minutes on the nose throughout the first half beginning at the 16 minute mark to take the commanding four goal advantage into the intermission.

With an almost insurmountable deficit to overcome, the Crimson Eagles played admirably, and - refusing to concede - soon began outplaying the hosts, eventually holding an 8-5 shot advantage over the final stanza. Alexa Hays, PBU's leading goal scorer a year ago, erased a potential shutout when the senior forward found the back of the net with 22 minutes left to play.

"Although we definitely didn't play up to our potenial in the opening period, I was pleased with how we responded in the second half," continued Loesser. "We showed some good things that I found encouraging. Hopefully we can come out tomorrow and pick up where we left off."

The women's soccer team will continue their Wisconsin road trip when the team takes on Lakeland College tomorrow afternoon. Game time is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.

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