LA CROSSE, WIS. – Viterbo (Wis.) University scored twice in the second half, coming back from a 2-0 deficit to salvage a tie against the Iowa Wesleyan College women’s soccer team Tuesday afternoon in a Midwest Collegiate Conference match.
The Tigers controlled the first 60 minutes, but a few breakdowns in the final 30 minutes of regulation allowed the V-Hawks back in. The tie left IWC at 7-8-2 overall, 1-5-1 in the MCC with one regular season match to play.
Iowa Wesleyan took the lead early in the first half when Jennie Mitchell (Sr.-LaGrange, Ga.) scored for the second straight match, tapping the ball in off a pass from Georgetta Lewis (Sr.-St. Johns, Antigua) in the 35th minute.
Wesleyan added to its lead early in the second half when Fanny Koloko-Green (Jr.-Fremont, Calif.) tallied to make it 2-0 just 2:51 into the half. The goal was her 11th of the season and set a new school record for most goals in a season by an individual, breaking the record of ten originally set by Jaimee Cushman in 2000 and tied last year by Jessica Ryan (Jr.-Burlington, Iowa).
Viterbo got back in the match when Anastasia Jensen popped a shot up over goalkeeper Cara Arnold (So.-Davis Junction, Ill.) to pull the V-Hawks within one goal. IWC still seemed to be in good shape for the win until the hosts took advantage of a free kick opportunity in the 88th minute. Emily Williamson took the free kick from the right side and put it on goal, where it was deflected by Arnold but cleaned up by Lauren Neet to tie the score at 2-2.
The two teams then played a pair of 10-minute overtime periods without a score. The Tigers had several good chances in the extra periods, the best coming when Taylor Scott (So.-Rockton, Ill.) struck a long shot from straight on well outside the box and it hit the cross bar and was deflected away by the outstretched arms of V-Hawk goalkeeper Stephanie Stacey.
Arnold made eight saves in goal for IWC, while Stacey also had eight saves for Viterbo. The V-Hawks are now 6-9-1 overall, 3-3-1 in conference play.
Iowa Wesleyan will close out the regular season on Saturday when it faces MCC-leading St. Ambrose University at 1 p.m. at East Lake Park. It will be Senior Day for five IWC seniors, and the Tigers will also be hosting their Tigers Play for the Cure game to promote breast cancer awareness. A silent auction will be held during the match as well as the men’s match to immediately follow, with items up for bid including gifts from community businesses as well as a number of Wesleyan athletic teams.
For more information regarding the IWC soccer programs or any of the Tiger athletic teams, contact sports information director Adam Glatczak (319-385-6306 phone; 319-385-6384 FAX; aglatczak@iwc.edu e-mail) or log on to IWC's athletics web site at www.iwc.edu/athletics.
Box score IWC 2 Viterbo 2 (2 OT)
