CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa --- North Dakota opened its regular season Friday evening with a 5-0 loss at Northern Iowa.
The Panthers used a steady attack to build a four-goal lead at the break and then added an additional goal in the second half while holding on for the shutout win.
"We gave it to them in the first half," head coach Kristen Gay said. "The team wasn't prepared and that's my fault. We made some changes and as a staff challenged them. It becomes more of a pride thing when you're down by that much at the half. We responded and in my mind out played them in the second half."
Senior Melissa Hagan opened the scoring for the home team with the Panthers first goal of the season in the ninth minute as she was able to connect on a cross pass from teammate Charlotte Jones.
Jones would go on to lead UNI with a big night adding two goals for a five point night.
UNI added goals in the 15th, 24th and 39th minutes to build a big 4-0 lead at the halfway point, but UND played the Panthers to over 43 minutes of scoreless play before allowing the final score of the game as Jones' found the back of the net at 88:22.
Senior Rhaya Ballon, (Rogers, Minn.) and juniors Anna Jung (Sandy, Utah) and Kaylynn Burgess (Henderson, Nev.) recorded UND's three shots on goal which all came in the second half.
North Dakota was outshot 18-7 in the game.
UND will look to rebound on Sunday at 1 p.m. against the Iowa Hawkeyes in Iowa City, Iowa, in the first-ever meeting between the two teams.
~UND~
