OGDEN, Utah – Despite being outshot 24-8 on Friday, the Northern Arizona soccer team got a first-half goal by freshman Cierra Gamble and received an outstanding performance by junior Lauren Weaver in goal to seal up a 1-0 victory over Weber State.
The Lumberjacks improved to 4-5-2 overall and 2-0-0 in Big Sky Conference play with their third consecutive shutout.
“We played a very good Weber State team, and we did what we needed to do win a game out on the road,” said head coach Andre Luciano. “It wasn’t pretty, but I’m really proud of the effort our players had.”
The Lumberjacks withstood an early offensive barrage by the Wildcats early in the game as the home team put up five shots in the game’s first nine minutes. But it was the Lumberjacks who found the back of the net before halftime. In the 39th minute, freshman Nicole Sherwin gathered the rebound in the box off a blocked shot by junior Elinor Priest before touching it over to Gamble, who put it into the net for her second goal of the season.
Weber State would continue its offensive pressure down 1-0 in the second half and held a commanding 11-1 shot advantage in the final period with NAU’s only shot coming from Priest in the 58th minute. But they were unable to get the ball past Weaver, who tied her career high with 11 saves. Weaver lowered her goals against average from 1.21 entering the game to 1.00 at the end of it.
“The stats don’t even do her justice because Lauren was so big for us in coming out on crosses and deflecting balls into the box,” Luciano said.
Gamble’s second goal of the season brings her into a tie for the team lead with freshman Haley Wingender.
The Lumberjacks will take their four-match unbeaten streak (3-0-1) to Pocatello, Idaho, on Sunday to take on Idaho State (6-4-1, 1-1-1). The Bengals defeated Southern Utah 2-1 on Friday.
