Every team needs to have impact players on their team and the University of Minnesota Duluth turns out to have those players on each side of the pitch.

It was a collective effort today as UMD physically outlasted the opposition just like their previous two games. UMD downed Michigan Technological University 3-1 on Sunday afternoon at Sherman FIeld in Houghton, Mich. The Bulldogs swept the non-conference portion of their 2017 schedule and have started 3-0 for the first time since 2005.

Having to yet to trail, the Bulldogs scored at the 24-minute mark. Junior forward Natalie St. Martin fought off multiple players and centered the ball to sophomore midfielder Mikayla Iaquinto, who launched the ball to the upper-tier of the goal. Huskies goalie Kirsen Hudak got a paw on the ball as it deflected off the crossbar to the wide open waiting sophomore forward Logan Nash. The Vail, Colo. native knocked in her first goal of the young season.

Aside from UMD's only first half goal of the season, there were plenty of ripe scoring chances to be had in the early going as each club kept switching the playing field in the first 15 minutes. Michigan Tech (1-3) had several chances on flipping the field to create odd rushes but the backline bouldered any attempt made.

Junior defender Lizzy Fontes made a diving tackle on a through pass. Senior defender Emily Fleissner later snagged a ball out out of mid-air to intercept a would-be one-on-one chance with Ng and then a few minutes later junior defender Erika Hjort boxed out her attacker to gain possession of a cross in the box. Late in the half, junior keeper Sisley Ng came of the net after a pair of defenders fell down on a collision and made an all-out desperation tip on a pass to save a goal.

UMD, in return, had their moments. Finley shouldered her way through two pinching defenders on a through ball but Hudak smothered the ball before Finley could touch it.  The Bulldogs kept knocking on the door. Finley would later shoot wide right of the goal on a quick turn and fire and then junior midfielder Laura Edgren had her scoring effort blocked.

Each team tighten their lines after the goal and a stranglehold ensued until St. Martin raced to a clear ball and drew a foul just outside the 18-foot box. On the set indirect play, Hjort tapped the ball to Fleissner and she rocketed a low shot in between the wall of defenders but was corralled by the keeper.

The dogs normally strengthen their play in the second half and that was no exception today. Finley from Nash is becoming a common occurrence as they connected again on a corner kick in the 49th minute.

UMD was 28 minutes from their third straight shutout but the 242:35 minute shutout streak abruptly ended as MTU Brooke Schauer connected on a long nonchalant rainbow that floated down behind Ng to slice the lead in half. The Huskies fed off that momentum and continued to pressure the Bulldogs. St. Martin crushed all hopes of a Husky comeback as she intercepted a clearance and beat the goalie to the net as she chipped it in for her second goal of the season.

The Bulldogs return to the Malosky Stadium pitch Tuesday Sept. 12 against bitter intrastate rival St. Cloud State University as part of a three-game home stand that will spread out through the week. First kick of the other Bulldog-Husky showdown will commence at 6:00 p.m.