Springfield Standard

Missouri State University’s women’s soccer team was defeated 2-1 by Saint Louis University on Thursday night at Robert R. Hermann Stadium in St. Louis. Abby Hansen scored her third goal of the season for the Bears with a penalty kick in the 70th minute, but the team was unable to recover from two earlier goals by Saint Louis.

The match remained scoreless until the 53rd minute when Julia Simon scored for Saint Louis, assisted by Hope Kim. The Billikens extended their lead in the 62nd minute as Kim found the net following a corner kick.

Hansen closed the gap after drawing a foul inside the box and converting from the penalty spot. Missouri State goalkeeper Ella Becker made four saves during the game, including a stop on a Saint Louis penalty kick in the 50th minute. The Bears attempted nine shots, with two on target; late efforts from Julia Kristensen and Maddie Schneiderhahn were off target.

"This was a hard-fought battle on the road against a top opponent, and I'm proud of the team's effort to nearly come back at the end," said head coach Kirk Nelson. "The team is showing resilience and growing every game. I'm really looking forward to being back home this weekend for our next matchup."

Missouri State (2-4-1) will return home to face Iowa at Allison South Stadium in Springfield on Sunday, September 7, at 1:00 p.m. The event will include Local Club and Camper Day with free admission for all attendees.