LINCOLN, Neb. – In a battle between two teams desperately needing a conference victory, it was Coe College that came out on top as they defeated Nebraska Wesleyan 3-2 in American Rivers Conference women's soccer action on Tuesday night (Oct. 9) in dreary conditions at Abel Stadium.
 
The Kohawks scored a pair of second half goals to take the lead and they held on to earn their first league win of the season.  Meanwhile, NWU dropped their fourth straight match and falls to 0-5 in American Rivers Conference play with three league matches remaining.  It was the third time this year that a winless conference team came into Abel Stadium and earned their first win against the Prairie Wolves.
 
Things looked bright for the Prairie Wolves early as Kaitlyn Sullivan scored on a chip shot over the goalkeeper in the 18^th minute off a pass from Isabel Dragoo. 
 
That 1-0 lead would hold up for just over a minute as Coe responded with a goal from Shalyn Kinney only 1:15 later to tie it up at 1-1.  The score remained 1-1 throughout the first half and the two teams went to the halftime break tied.
 
Once again NWU came out fast and took the lead as Suzie McDonald took a pass from Shannon Jerram and headed the ball into the goal in the 53^rd minute giving the Prairie Wolves the 2-1 lead.
 
Just like the first half, Coe wasted very little time in answering the Prairie Wolves goal.  Sydney Schroder scored in the 55^th minute to knot the match up at 2-2.
 
Both teams played even over the next 20 minutes until the Kohakws finally broke through and Megan Petsche scored what would be eventual game-winning goal in the 75^th minute.
 
Coe held a 14-6 advantage in shot attempts for the match and they scored on both of the NWU goalkeepers.  The Prairie Wolves did have four shots on goal, but it just wasn't enough offensive production.
 
Nebraska Wesleyan now sits at 6-7 overall and 0-5 in American Rivers play and will travel to Central College this Saturday to face the Dutch at 1 pm.