GRAND FORKS, N.D. - The University of North Dakota soccer team jumped in front of the defending co-Big Sky Conference regular season champion Portland State Vikings Sunday, but a strong Vikings team rallied for a 3-1 win at Bronson Field.
North Dakota falls to 2-6-1 on the year and 0-2 in league play while Portland State improves to 3-5-1 and 1-1 in conference play.
UND junior Noel Scherer (Fargo, N.D.) tallied her second goal of the season in the 21st minute to give the home team a 1-0 lead. Sheri Stapf picked up an assist.
The Vikes quickly answered however as Kayla Henningsen scored just over two minutes later to even the game at 1-1 on a corner kick by Amanda Dutra. The score would stand into the halfway break.
PSU took the lead on a "own goal" as a UND defender attempted to kick a cross pass out of play, but directed into the net past UND goalkeeper Kristi Hestdalen (Pierre, S.D.) in the 53rd minute.
Amanda Howie scored in the 79th minute for PSU's third unanswered goal.
In the highly-competitive and physical game that saw a total of 26 fouls, with each team receiving three yellow cards, the Vikings finished with a 13-6 advantage in shots on goal.
Hestdalen finished with 10 saves in the losing effort.
North Dakota returns to the road next weekend for a single BSC match at Northern Colorado.
