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AMESTOWN, N.D. — No. 5 Minnesota State (6-0-0, 3-0-0) defeated Jamestown (1-4-1, 1-2-0) 2-0 on Friday at Charlotte & Gordon Hansen Stadium. After a scoreless first half, Minnesota State broke through, scoring twice in the second half and kept Jamestown off the scoresheet. This marks its fifth shutout in a row and fifth of the season. Minnesota State finished with a 17-4 advantage in shots, including 9-0 in shots on goal.
Reese Hilsenbeck scored an unassisted game-winning goal and finished with two points on two shots. It was Hilsenbeck's first goal of the season.
Julia Fischer added an unassisted goal on her only shot attempt, also marking her first goal of the season.
Lauren McAlpine played all 90 minutes in goal and recorded the shutout while facing four shots.
Minnesota State created most of the first-half attack but could not break through, finishing the half with a 6-3 shot advantage and four corner kicks while the teams remained scoreless. The early push started with corner kicks in the opening five minutes, followed by attempts from
Elan Litt,
Ruthie Gyasi and
Maddix Archer, with Gyasi forcing a save from Taylor Musser at 4:13. Minnesota State pressed again midway through the half, earning corners at 21:01 and 26:54 and getting shots from
Amara Smith,
Callie Stanley and
Ella Huettl, whose 30th minute attempt was saved. Jamestown generated some pressure late in the first half with three shots after the 32nd minute, with Emma Belyk, Vega Canada and Julliet Lopez adding attempts but Minnesota State got through the late stretch without conceding and went to halftime knotted up 0-0.
The Mavericks controlled the pace of play throughout the second half, rarely being on the defensive end of the field. Hilsenbeck broke through in the 52nd minute with a beautiful left footed shot to put MSU in front, and Fischer added another goal in the 64th minute when she got one up and over Taylor Musser's outstretched arms as the Mavericks moved ahead 2-0. Minnesota State continued to create chances after the second goal, with Gyasi and Litt forcing saves and
Lauren Schindler and
Teagan Jurek adding attempts before the 77th minute. The Mavericks kept the pressure on late, generating six shots from the 79th-89th minute, including saved attempts by
Mila Rustin and
Brenna Hudson at 86:46 and 88:35 respectively. Jamestown put a shot over the goal at 86:14 and managed one shot in the closing minutes, as Minnesota State finished off the 2-0 result for a dominating win.
The shutout continued a strong stretch from the red hot Maverick defense who have only surrendered three shots on net in the last three games. Over that stretch the Mavericks have not allowed a goal, extending the shutout streak to five games. McAlpine's fifth straight shutout was the 23rd of her career, and her five on the season rank tied fifth in all of Division II.
Up next, the Mavericks travel to Aberdeen, S.D., to face Northern State on Sunday, Sept. 20, at 1 p.m. at Athletic & Recreation Fields.
