COLUMBUS – Despite a strong second-half push, the Columbus State University women's soccer team dropped its season opener 2-1 to Embry-Riddle on Friday night at the Walden Soccer Complex.
The Eagles stunned the home crowd early, striking twice in the opening five minutes. Ida Zetterberg put Embry-Riddle on the board just 94 seconds into the match with an unassisted finish, and teammate Lauryn Mateo doubled the advantage in the 5th minute off an assist from Olivia Gallo.
Columbus State regrouped and controlled much of the contest from that point on, outshooting the Eagles 12-2 and earning six corner kicks. Lady Cougar goalkeeper Heidi Harris kept her side within striking distance, but Embry-Riddle's defense held firm behind goalkeeper Stella Roane.
The breakthrough for CSU finally came in the 89th minute, when Shania Wegesend found the back of the net with an unassisted goal to cut the deficit in half. Despite a late surge and multiple chances, the Lady Cougars couldn't find the equalizer before time expired.
With the loss, Columbus State falls to 0-1 on the year while Embry-Riddle improves to 1-0. The Lady Cougars will look to bounce back on Sunday, September 7, 2025, at 6:00pm against Florida Tech.
