Women's Soccer Drops 2025 Season Opener to Bellevue

MITCHELL, S.D. — The Dakota Wesleyan University Women's Soccer team opened up regular-season competition at home against the Bellevue (Neb.) Bruins.

The Tigers would be on the offensive early in the contest, pushing the Bruins down their own side of the field with efficient passing that would eventually lead to the first goal of the game, scored by Annika Enevoldsen and assisted by Esmeralda Guzman. The upperclassman would lead the team with shots-on-goal and keep the team on pace with a Bruins team that would surge towards the end of the half. DWU would have more chances at extending their lead in the first half, but an impressive showing by the goalkeeper would limit the home team's lead to 1-0 heading into halftime. DWU's own goalkeeper, Abigail Colgrove, would also have a good showing, registering three total saves on the day.

In the second half, the Tigers would get out to a blazing start, with Hannah Petrucci scoring DWU's second goal of the day with an assist from Enevoldsen. Bellevue would find a response almost immediately, drilling a shot into the goal in the 48th minute to close the lead back to one. The game would stall defensively, with DWU's experienced backline fighting off the oncoming Bruins attack, but Bellevue would find a seam and convert on their second goal in minute 68, tying the game 2-2. Petrucci, Enevoldsen, and Sara Ewert would continue to keep the pressure on the opposition for the Tigers. The Bruins, however, would keep their momentum through the final third of the contest, finding the net two more times in the 77th and 78th minutes to surge to a 2-4 lead late in the game. A final push from the Tigers would be stifled by the Bruins, and the Tigers would fall in their first contest of the 2025 regular season.

The Tigers will be back in action on Tuesday, September 2nd, as they take on Buena Vista in Iowa. See the entire 2025 schedule here.