WARRENSBURG, Mo. – The Augustana soccer team dropped its season opener Friday night to MIAA opponent No. 21 Central Missouri by a score of 4-2. Sierra Barkus and Macie Haggerty recorded their first goals of the season in the loss. 

Haggerty led the Vikings in shots with five and shots on goal with two. The senior forward/midfielder recorded 75 minutes of action. Barkus opened up the game for the Vikings with a powerful shot just inside the top bar. 

Aaliyah Matthews got the start in net and made seven saves throughout 90 minutes of play. Laina Souerdyke, Avery Heinz, Makenzie Nelson and Sydney Hage also recorded shots on goal. 

Augustana faced 19 shots in total with 11 going down as shots on goal. The Vikings recorded 14 shots with seven finding their way on target. 

Match Highlights
SHOT (UCM) 4' - Mackenzie Smith fired a shot in on Matthews but missed the net high. 

SHOT (UCM) 6' - Matthews came up big for the Vikings as she stopped Lexi Ruf's shot to the lower quadrant of the goal. Less than a minute later, Matthews stopped Caroline Cole's shot to keep the game tied at zero. 

SHOT (AU) 9' - Souerdyke recorded the first shot for Augustana but missed just to the left of the net leading to a UCM goal kick. 

GOAL (UCM) 13' - The Jennies netted the first goal of the night with a shot from Cole to the bottom left of the net. Gracie Knight tallied an assist on the goal.

GOAL (AU) 18' - Barkus evened the game with a powerful shot just inside the top bar for her first goal of the season.

SHOT (AU) 26' - Souerdyke recorded a shot on goal during the 26th minute but was denied by Sydney Beck. 

SHOT (AU) 39' - Augustana controlled the pace with three shots from Haggerty during the 39th minute.

GOAL (UCM) 44' - In the dying minutes of the first half, UCM regained the lead with a goal from Emilee Person.

GOAL (UCM) 52' - The Jennies pushed their lead to three with back-to-back goals in the 47th and 52nd minutes making the game 4-1. In the 47th minute, Caroline Cole netted the ball into the middle of the net. Ashleigh Martin scored UCM's fourth goal off a penalty kick. 

SHOT (AU) 81' - Nelson came close to notching her first of the season but was denied by Kristen Wright. 

GOAL (AU) 83' - Haggerty brought the game to within two with her first of the season as she powered the ball into the frame. 

Up Next
Augustana continues its time on the road with a trip to Claremore, Oklahoma as it faces Rogers State on Sunday at noon. The Vikings defeated the Hillcats by a score of 1-0 on Morstad Field in the 2023 season.