SOUTHFIELD, Mich. - From the opening whistle, Lawrence Tech dictated the tempo, forcing consecutive corner kicks in the first twelve minutes. However, it was Taylor that nearly blew the game wide open in the 21st minute. Following a hard foul in the penalty box, Taylor stepped up for a penalty kick. She fired a sharp strike toward the corner, but Lawrence Tech goalkeeper MC Michalak made a brilliant diving save to keep the game deadlocked.
Energized by the massive save, Lawrence Tech launched a furious counter-attack before halftime.
Hinana Takashima and
Madison Cutler both fired accurate, dangerous shots on target, but Taylor's stellar goalkeeper matched Michalak's brilliance with a string of spectacular saves to preserve the clean sheet heading into the locker room.
The second half turned into a fierce defensive chess match. As the clock ticked down, Lawrence Tech threw everything forward, peppering the Taylor box with headers and blocked shots from
Chloe Abney and
Kayla Rousseau.
In the final three minutes, the drama reached a fever pitch. Once again, Michalak stood tall, turning both threats away. After 90 minutes of relentless physical play, spectacular goaltending, and missed opportunities, both teams walked off the pitch with their undefeated records intact.
Their next match will be Saturday, September 5 against University of Saint Francis (Ind.) in Fort Wayne, Ind.
