ST. PAUL, Minn. — #3 Minnesota State (10-0-2, 8-0-1 NSIC) secured a 1-0 victory over Concordia-St. Paul (8-2-2, 5-2-2 NSIC) on Friday at Sea Foam Stadium. The decisive goal came in the second half and was enough to clinch the win as the visiting team's goalkeeper recorded six saves to earn the shutout. Both teams registered 14 shots each, but the victors made the most of their opportunities to come out on top. This win marked a significant milestone as Head Coach Brian Bahl earned his 200th win at Minnesota State.

"I'm really proud of how we played tonight," Bahl said. "We stayed composed and found a way to get a good quality road win against a good team.

"We also had a ton of awesome alumni here tonight as well. It was great to have such incredible support. Our Maverick family is so special."

The first half began with the Mavericks establishing a strong defensive presence. Sophomore Lauren McAlpine made key saves early, denying multiple attempts from the hosts, including a crucial stop at the 2:05 mark. The Mavericks responded offensively with sophomore Reese Hilsenbeck testing the CSP goalkeeper at 12:31, but the attempt was saved.

The visitors maintained pressure through corner kicks, creating opportunities but found the home side's defense resilient. Junior Maddix Archer and senior Courtney Kovacs each had shots during this period, with Archer's attempt at 18:53 being saved. Despite several offensive pushes, both teams entered halftime scoreless, ending the period locked at 0-0.

The second half began with the Mavericks asserting their presence as Archer attempted a shot early on, which went wide. The team continued to press, and their efforts paid off when senior Anna Van Wyngarden converted a penalty kick in the 78th minute, giving them the lead.

The Golden Bears responded with offensive pressure, including a notable save by McAlpine in the dying seconds of the match. Despite these attempts, the Mavericks maintained their advantage, closing out the period with a 1-0 lead and securing the victory.

McAlpine recorded six saves and secured her 11th shutout of the season. Van Wyngarden scored the game-winning goal and finished with two shots on goal. Archer contributed offensively with four shots, two of which were on goal.

Looking ahead, the Mavericks will host Winona State on Sunday. The match will take place at The Pitch in Mankato, Minn., with kickoff set for 1 p.m. CT.