Striedel’s late header lifts Skyhawks to 2-1 win over Mavericks

DURANGO, Colo. — Megan Striedel headed a perfectly-placed corner kick into the center of the net with 2:37 remaining to lift No. 18 Fort Lewis (6-0-1 overall, 3-0-0 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) to a 2-1 win over a spirited Colorado Mesa (3-4-0, 2-1-0) squad today at Dirks Field.

“I knew it was obviously going to be a very tough game,” said fifth-year FLC head coach Damian Clarke. “I thought we were just tough enough to win it.”

Striedel rose above the defense to greet Egbom’s corner in the middle of the goal mouth, heading it safely past reserve CMU goalkeeper Sarah Schnetzler to the game-winner. The goal was Striedel’s fourth of the season and third in the past two games.

The Skyhawks took the lead early in the game on a similar corner. Egbom floated the kick in from the left corner, where the ball careened off of three players, including Striedel and Skyhawk forward Emma Cannis before ultimately slipping just inside the left post at 2:23. Cannis was credited with her third goal of the season.

The Mavericks tied the score in the tenth minute when Leilani Wiernicki curled a free kick from 30-plus yards out past the outstretched hands of FLC’s Amanda Raso and into the left side of the goal. Wiernicki’s bomb was her first marker of the year.

In between Wiernicki’s tally and Striedel’s heroics was a closely-contested contest. Colorado Mesa outshot the Skyhawks 14-9 — the first time FLC had been outshot all season. Fort Lewis did own a 5-4 advantage in shots on target.

Fort Lewis hits the road for games at UC-Colorado Springs (3-1-0, 0-1-0) at 7 p.m. Friday and Adams State (3-3-0, 0-2-0) at 1 p.m. Sunday.