September 21, 2010

OLIVET, Mich. - Bluffton held its ground against a solid Olivet College women's soccer team before the home Comets found the net with 1:14 to play for a 2-1 victory over the Beavers on Tuesday, Sept. 21. Following the setback, Bluffton slipped to 3-4 on the season while Olivet improved to 7-1-1.

Midway through the first period, Olivet took a 1-0 lead when ELIZABETH JULIAN hauled in a LINDSEY WINTERS touch and buried her eighth goal of the season. The visitors responded and during the next nine minutes they fired a pair of corner kicks and three shots, includingKARLI GRAYBILL'S (Goshen, Ind./Bethany Christian) second score of the year from fellow freshman JESSICA RAMIREZ (Archbold).

Bluffton went toe-to-toe with the home Comets throughout the second stanza, picking up two questionable yellow cards while the score remained knotted at one goal apiece. With just 1:14 remaining in regulation, KAYLEIGH MCLEOD made it 2-1 on her first goal of the 2010 campaign. The 2-1 win over the Beavers marked Olivet's third win over Heartland Conference competition this season as the Comets claimed a 2-0 victory over Hanover and a 3-0 win over Manchester.

KOURTNEY LEWIS (Arlington/Riverdale) paced Bluffton with four shots, two on target. Graybill, who netted the Beavers' only score, put both of her attempts on frame. MaGGIE ARMSTRONG (Vevay, Ind./Switzerland County) tallied six saves for the visitors.

Olivet took nine more shots than the Beavers (19-10), but the Comets put only one more on target (8-7). Bluffton forced two more corner kicks (8-6), while Olivet committed one more foul (12-11).

Bluffton opens Heartland Conference action on Saturday, Sept. 25, when the Beaves travel to Mount St. Joseph. The contest with the Lions is slated for 12 p.m. in Cincinnati, Ohio.

-BEAVERS-