Pioneers Tie Valley

Two goal-less halves and double overtime set up the Pioneers with their fourth draw of the season, but also secures a second straight shutout.
 
MNU hosted the Missouri Valley Vikings on a scorching Wednesday afternoon, and in a surprising twist, the match was able to actually go ahead as scheduled on Pioneer Field. Once again, the Pioneers exerted their dominance in possession over the match, outshooting the Vikings 18-7 in the process, but, like Storm Troopers with laser blasters, the Pioneers couldn't find the target.
 
In a cruel twist, however, Sophomore Jessica Longhurst was able to convert a header from a corner, but was adjudged, harshly, to have pushed a Vikings defender in the back and the goal was not allowed. In another instance of close-but-no-cigar, Senior midfielder Kelli Reid, in the dying seconds of the first half, launched a rocket from outside the box which curled and crashed into the crossbar, shooting straight into the ground, on which side of the goal line is anyone's guess, and flew back behind the goal to the relief of the Vikings goalkeeper.
 
In the second half chances were few and far between, however Anesa Curic was called into action to tip a shot onto the crossbar and collect the rebound in order to preserve the shutout.
 
In the two periods of overtime, sensing their fellow 'Neers could use some fan spirit, the football team, fully padded, and the softball team left their practices to cheer the Pioneers on to that missing goal. Despite hearty vocal support, however, the match remained scoreless and ended in a tie.
 
"Overall, I am proud of my team's performance. I thought our possession was very good against a quality opponent. We just couldn't seem to find the net," said Coach Skelly Kellar after the stifling match. 
 
Infinity is the perpetual expanse of time and space represented by two harmonious, interlocking circles. The double-zeroes side-by-side on the scoresheet seemed an appropriate metaphor of this seemingly infinite cycle of ties the Pioneers find themselves in. Moving forward this season, the Pioneers will have to learn to turn their advantage in possession into goals in order to get a few more "W's" on the schedule. They will have an opportunity to do just that this Saturday as they travel to Clarke in Iowa.