Box Score MINOT, N.D. – Minot State University women's soccer finally found its scoring touch at home.

The Beavers, mired in a 0-3-1 start at Herb Parker Stadium and with just two goals in four games, equaled that in the first half and added an insurance goal in the second half to run away from St. Cloud State 3-1 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference soccer Sunday.

"For the first time all year we played well start to finish," said MISU head coach Jason Spain. "We have been getting longer and longer of pockets of good play. We started with three attacking midfielders and wanted to get some rhythm going forward. We said this is do or die time for us and if we are going to go down, go down swinging, attacking and playing offense instead of chasing teams around."

Minot State (3-6-2 overall, 3-5-1 NSIC) scored four goals on the weekend and got two tallies from junior Zoe Fisher (F, Cambridgeshire, England), including the eventual match-winner in the 40th minute Sunday. Fisher finished with two goals and an assist on the weekend.

"We have been so anemic offensively that we are so afraid of losing the ball. We talked today about being dangerous at all times," said Spain. "You could see that with Zoe and with all of our up front players."

Early on the Beavers controlled the play and hounded the Huskies (6-5-1, 3-5-1) back line, but couldn't come up with a great shot on goal. Meanwhile, SCSU gave the Beavers a scare on a crossing pass and quick shot that MISU goalkeeper Jimi Guibor (So., Manteca, Calif.) corralled with a sprawling save. Guibor, in her first start for the Beavers, was solid throughout with five saves for her first win.

"She has been more consistent and right now we need someone who will make the routine ones," Spain said of Guibor. "Jimi just played real well today."

Taylor Franco (Jr., M, Yuba City, Calif.) got the Beavers on the board with a header off a free kick by Fisher in the 34th minute, besting SCSU goalie Brittany Plombon with a high shot. It was Franco's first goal as a Beaver and got the momentum securely in the Beavers favor.

SCSU made things interesting with increased pressure in the second half and a goal by Michelle Cornell, but the Beavers countered both the pressure and the goal.
Freshman Jayden Montejano (Fr., CM, Sutter, Calif.) took a feed right in front of the goal from Kayla Schlittenhart (So., M Sparks, Nev.), after Schlittenhart made a fine run, and tucked the ball past Plombon and just inside the left post for the 3-1 lead in the 75th minute.

"We had the right team at the start. We didn't make any crazy adjustments, but played our system and were aggressive – we went at them," said Spain. "Kristin Long (So., M, Mesa, Ariz.) played her best game all year today and was good yesterday. She has been inching up the roster for us and has probably earned herself a starting spot."

The Beavers finished with season-highs in both shots (20) and shots on goal (12) in the match.

Minot State, which moved into the tie with SCSU and Northern State for the eighth and final NSIC playoff spot, has two more home games in a four-game NSIC home stand this weekend. The Beavers take on Augustana College Friday at 7 p.m. and battle Wayne State College Sunday at 1 p.m.