Box Score
DULUTH, Minn. – The Northwestern College women's soccer team saw its 2012 season come to an end on Tuesday, dropping the team's Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) Tournament opener 1-0 to the College of St. Scholastica. Although the four-seed Eagles came up on the short end of the final score, the team put up arguably its best defensive effort of the year, holding the top-ranked Saints scoreless for over 84 minutes of play.

The home team started the barrage of shots right away as NWC goalkeeper Sarah Stenson (Woodbury, Minn./New Life Academy) picked up her first save just 1:59 into the contest. St. Scholastica continued the offensive trend and posted 20 shots in the first 45 minutes of play, while the visitors tallied just three.

Tenacious defense on the part of the Eagles kept the Saints' attacks in check as Northwestern came up with nine clutch saves in the first half alone, sending both teams into intermission without posting a score on the board.

As both teams returned to the pitch for the second period, the continued trend of St. Scholastica offense countered with a strong NWC backline proved to the storyline. The Eagles withstood constant pressure from the Saints while attempting to clear the ball away from their own box.

The Achilles' heel on the afternoon for the Purple and Gold was the 12 corner kicks the home team on the scoreboard was able to earn. Northwestern survived 11 corner kick situations before Kelsey Kehtel converted on a Logan Williamson corner setup to give St. Scholastica its only goal of the game in the 84^th minute of regulation. After the goal, NWC shifted its play up the field in attempts to pressure the ball, but surges from the Saints held off any Northwestern scoring opportunities.

St. Scholastica owned the overall shot count by a large amount, racking up 36 in comparison to three for the visitors. As the stopper in goal, Stenson fended off 14 of her opponent's scoring attempts, many at key moments in the playoff competition.

With the win, St. Scholastica (16-4-1 overall, 13-1 conference) advances to the UMAC Championship game and will host the University of Minnesota Morris on Saturday.

Coach Josh Pettit's team left the Duluth, Minn. turf with a season record of 8-9-2, including 8-4-2 in UMAC play. Tuesday's contest also marked the final competition in an Eagle uniform for seniors  Lyssa Hester (Mantorville, Minn./Kasson-Mantorville), Jessica Monson (Albertville, Minn./Home School), Susan Delain (Andover, Minn./Meadow Creek Christian), Heidi Anderson (Cedar Falls, Iowa/Walnut Ridge Academy), and Katy Hoppe (Amery, Wis./Amery).