Storm drop 2-0 decision to Westminster in season opener

INDIANOLA, Iowa -- The Simpson women's soccer team held visiting Westminster to just seven shots but couldn't find the back of the net in a 2-0 loss Friday in the season opener at Buxton Stadium.

Natalie Schulte opened the scoring in the 13th minute and Kate Ponder added an insurance tally in the 69th minute for the Bluejays (1-0).

The Simpson attack had trouble generating opportunities against the stingy backline of Westminster, finishing with three shots on the evening. Dani Marquez put one shot on frame for the Storm (0-1), who opened the Jeremy Reinert era in the opener.

Schulte got free near the top of the box and rifled a shot past the reach of goalkeeper Madeline Schulenberg to put Westminster on the board. The Simpson defense held strong until the 69th minute when Ponder tapped in a loose ball at the net.

Quotes from the Coach
"Clearly we hoped to enter the season on the other end of this one. Overall, I thought we had some gutsy individual performances that led to a competitive first match.

"This team is full of workers and I believe tonight we were able to see some areas of strength. We were also presented with some areas to continue to learn and grow as we are focused on finding the best version of ourselves."

Up Next
The Storm travel to Monmouth, Ill. to face Monmouth on Sunday, Sept. 2. Start time is set for 1 p.m.