The Tiffin University women's soccer team kicked off its 2023 campaign with a match against the Prairie Stars of Illinois-Springfield on Thursday evening at the Paradiso Athletic Fields. After 90 minutes, the match would end in a 1-1 draw.

Illinois-Springfield recorded the first shot of the game just inside the eight-minute mark, trickling wide left of the post. The Prairie Stars' offensive pressure continued as they fired two more off-target shots in the 16th and 17th minutes. The first shot for the Dragons did not come until the 23rd minute, by way of senior-defender Emma Lennig, which needed saving by the UIS goalie.

Roughly three minutes later, UIS drew first blood after a low cross into the box reached Sierra Cenek who found the back of the net to earn a 1-0 lead for the visitors. Tiffin grew into the match offensively and won a penalty kick in the 33rd minute of the match. Sophomore Sarah Gundler stepped up to the spot and delivered a driven shot into the bottom left-hand corner of the goal to level the match at 1-1.

Both sides came out of halftime aggressive and pushing for the game-winner. Goalie Malea Nelson made a total of six second half saves, including an incredible one-on-one stop in the 84th minute to keep the Dragons level and secure the draw.

The Dragons recorded three shots on goal, one of each by Dani Garner, Lennig, and Gundler. Lennig and Carley Groh led the team in total shots taken with two each. Nelson put in a stellar performance between the sticks, tallying six total saves.

Tiffin will have just a two-day break before traveling to South Euclid, Ohio for a match against Notre Dame College on Sunday, September 3rd at 1 p.m.