Ferris State Celebrates Field Grand Opening With Big Regional Victory

Postgame Interview & Highlights 

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University women's soccer squad celebrated the grand opening of the new Bulldog Soccer Field on Sunday (Sept. 2) with their first victory of the season as the Bulldogs topped the Bellarmine (Ky.) Knights 3-2 in a regional showdown in Big Rapids.

Bellarmine, which reached the NCAA Tourney last year, jumped on the board first at 3:20 of the opening period when Rosie Taylor found the back of the net assisted by Audrey Van der elst.

The Bulldogs answered back, though, at 16:31 of the first half when Grace Verhage scored her first collegiate goal assisted by senior Carley Dubbert.

Ferris State came back to take its first lead soon after when Dubbert tallied her first goal of the year at 17:36 off a feed from Mackenzie Dawes.

However, Bellarmine responded to tie the match back up when Van der elst notched a goal at 25:34 aided by Annabel Moore. The score remained 2-2 heading to halftime.

In the second half, the Bulldogs got the go-ahead goal from freshman Pia Nagel, who tallied her second marker of the year at 69:40 off a pass upfield from Maddie Dickens.

From there, the Bulldog defense stood up to the challenge to preserve the victory.

The Bulldogs led in total shots 15-13 although the Knights put 11 on goal in the outing to eight for FSU.

The contest represented the grand opening of the new Bulldog Soccer Field, which FSU opened in regular-season action on Friday against Missouri-St. Louis.

Ferris State will be back in action on Friday, Sept. 7, when the Bulldogs travel to Indianapolis for another regional tilt against the Greyhounds starting at 5 p.m. (ET).