Senior defender Emily Fleissner proved to be the difference-maker Tuesday evening for the University of Minnesota Duluth in their 1-0 win over St. Cloud State University. Fleissner, who has played all 360 minutes so far this year, redirected the corner kick from fellow senior backliner Anna Morrison with her head in the 73rd minute. That goal would be all the Bulldogs (4-0, 1-0 NSIC) needed as junior goalkeeper Sisley Ng captured her second shutout of the season and moved her record to 3-0. UMD is 7-1-2 in their last 10 meetings against the Huskies with their Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference victory and grabbed three points to open league play. 

Ng made her lone save of the night a momentous game-changer. The White Bear Lake, Minn. native challenged Huskies' Hannah Marion to a duel near the edge of the box after Marion slipped past the defense on a counter attack. Ng came out past the six-yard box to at least cut the angle down. Marion blasted a shot to the far post and Ng made a leaping save to deflect the ball wide to keep the game scoreless. Ng and fellow goalie Carlye Wright have allowed a single goal to their four opponents matching the 2000 Bulldogs for least amount of goals given up to start a season.

UMD has predicated their attack to set up corner kicks. In the first four games UMD has attempted 29 corner kicks. Five of those kicks have resulted in goals for the Bulldogs. Fleissner and St. Martin were set up next to the keeper and the net while the rest of the Bulldog attack was positioned out near the edge of the box. As the left-footer bender by Morrison approached, Fleissner found a gap between defenders and headed in her second goal of the season. Morrison knotted her first assist of the season, second tally of her career.

The Huskies held the time of possession early in the game but wasn't able to find a clear lane to attack from. Each team was able to get a shot off in the first 10 minutes of action before UMD started to apply the pressure.The Bulldogs outshot the Huskies 18-7 and had more scoring chances the further the game went. The biggest chance in the first 45 came in the 18th minute. Senior forward Skye Finley, the reigning NSIC Offensive Player of the Week, retrieved a near-side cross from senior forward Natalie St. Martin and beat the keeper to the post as her shot rang off the iron. 

Sophomore midfielder Maddie Milbrath made her first start of her career, playing 51 minutes Tuesday. Finley led all players with five shots. Sophomore forward Logan Nash and sophomore midfielder Mikayla Iaquinto registered the other two shots on net.

The Bulldogs take their unblemished record back to James S. Malosky Stadium on Satuday when they do battle with No. 10 Minnesota State University, Mankato for Military Appreciation Day. First kick between UMD and MSU is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.