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ROMEOVILLE, Ill. – Despite edges in shots and corner kicks, the Lewis women's soccer team came up short in the category that matters most on Friday (Sept. 12) evening. The Flyers fell to Drury 2-1 at Lewis Stadium in the Great Lakes Valley Conference opener for both schools.
 
The Flyers earned 16 shots to Drury's 13 and picked up 11 corner kicks to Drury's two. However it was Drury's second corner kick, their only of the second half, that ended up being the difference.
 
With the score tied at one, Emma Huggett's kick from the corner flag found Rachel Krueger in the box. Krueger delivered a header to the back of the net to put Drury up 2-1. The game would end that way.
 
The Panthers took a 1-0 lead to halftime when Emily Cline used a long run off a pass from Sarah Duffy to get in close to the Lewis goal. Cline beat the Lewis defender at the last moment to score the goal.
 
Lewis scored the equalizer at the 59:11 mark thanks to a beautiful set piece goal. Lewis earned free kick well closer to midfield than the goal. Senior Sarah Pawelko (Lemont, Ill./Lemont) took the 40-yard free kick and sent it into the box. It found junior Jessica Chavez (Aurora, Ill./West Aurora) on the fly and Chavez kicked it in for her second goal of the season.
 
It stayed tied for about 12 more minutes before Krueger's goal for Drury gave the Panthers the lead for good.
 
While Drury pulled away late, the Flyers' best chances came early. Lewis missed a penalty kick less than five minutes into the contest. Then at the 11:57 mark a Chavez shot was inches away from going into the net before a Drury defender chased the ball down at the goal line.  
 
"The effort was fantastic, the urgency, the pressure (we) put Drury under," Lewis head coach Chris Koenig said. "I think what we saw today was us missing some opportunities in the first half that could have put Drury in a position where they have to chase the game and we didn't take advantage of those."
 
Senior Mara Bennett (Portage, Mich./Portage Central) made seven saves for Lewis. Drury goaltender Tina Haberberger picked up eight saves. Lewis' goal was the first Haberberger has given up this year.
 
The Flyers fall to 0-2-1 (0-1-0 GLVC). Drury is 3-0-0 (1-0-0 GLVC). Lewis hosts Missouri S&T on Sunday in a 2:30 p.m. start at Lewis Stadium.