“I was pleased with the patience and maturity the team displayed in our attack tonight,” said head coach Julie Woodward. “Overall it was a great team win. Steph scored a couple of really nice goals and her improvement from our offseason really showed.”
Taylor Ritzman (Holladay, Utah) gave Seattle U the early lead, finishing inside the six yard box off a corner kick by Kelly Beck (Tacoma, Wash.) just 14 and a half minutes into the contest.
The Redhawks remaining ahead by a goal margin at halftime, Verdoia scored on back-to-back possessions just four minutes apart just before the 60 minute mark as SU took a 3-0 lead.
NIU’s Maggie Renfro put the Huskies on the board in the 62nd minute on a shot from just outside the 18 yard box as the ball flew over the head of Seattle U keeper, Brianna Smallidge (Port Orchard, Wash.).
Just five minutes later, Julia Moravec (Spokane, Wash.) would add a goal for insurance in the 67th minute, assisted by Natasha Howe (Mission Viejo, Calif.) to extend the Redhawk lead, 4-1.
Verdoia led Seattle U with five shots, all on goal, while Ritzman, Howe, Moravec and Isabelle Butterfield (Bellevue, Wash.) contributed a shot apiece as the Redhawks outshot the Huskies, 9-6, overall and led in shots on goal, 8-1.
In goal, Smallidge allowed just one goal and recorded the win while logging nearly 82 minutes of play. Aris Coover (Bellevue, Wash.) entered the game for the final 8:20. Amy Annala made four saves and allowed four goals for Northern Illinois in nearly 85 minutes of play, handed the loss, while Julia Poladian played the final 5:15.
Seattle U returns to action and closes out the weekend vs. Hawai’i, the host team for this weekend’s OHANA Hotels and Resorts No Ka Oi on Monday, Sept. 1 at 8 p.m. PT.