CALEB RIORDAN | Reporter

Lindenwood faced the University of Central Missouri in a home match on Sunday, Sept. 16 at 1 p.m., but the Lions were defeated 3-0.  

UCM entered and left the game undefeated, bringing their record to 6-0. Lindenwood’s record fell to 2-3-1.

The Lions kept it close in the first half, only allowing one goal. UCM fired 11 shots and put four on goal in the half. Lindenwood goalkeeper Lauren Greenstein had two saves, and the Lions’ defense chalked up a crucial save as well to hold UCM’s lead to one.

But the Lions were not presented with a lot of opportunities to score in the half, being held to just two shots with one on goal.

“The first ten minutes, we kind of played scared,” head coach Dave Musso said. “Then we got in a rhythm and we played O.K. after that[…]We know they’re good though, so we respect them, so it’s going to be hard to get in on them.”

The lone goal of the half came by a right side cross from UCM’s Makayla Toth and was put away with a header by Courtney Killian.

The UCM scored two more goals in the second half, both coming off of Lindenwood mistakes. The first came from a takeaway by Jada Scott who then ripped a shot from 20 yards for a goal. The second goal came from Haley Freeman, who put it away from five yards out.

“We gave it to them on both goals,” Musso said. “Just didn’t clear it, we didn’t head it out and they just scored. And the other one they were center box and we didn’t close out quick enough.”

Musso was very vocal about the strength of this top-ranked UCM team. Musso credited UCM for capitalizing on the mistakes Lindenwood made in the second half, saying great teams capitalize on mistakes.

UCM outshot Lindenwood 19-7, while putting 10 on goal to Lindenwood’s two.

The Lions’ next contest comes at Northwest Missouri State University Friday at 3 p.m.