"I thought we played for our first contest against another team," KWU head coach Mike Dibbini said. "Benedictine has already played one match and had two scrimmages, while we had yet to face a different team tonight."

Benedictine had already defeated Hannibal-LaGrange (Mo.) 3-0 last Friday before tonight's match.

Wesleyan came out firing to open the match, getting a pair of shots from freshman Makenna Eide, but a majority of the first half, and a majority of the entire match was played evenly between the two teams.

"It was a great match between two very evenly matched teams," Dibbini said.

It was Dani Benton that struck first for the Coyotes, putting a ball away in the 40th minute to give the Coyotes the 1-0 lead. Corina Villegas set up the play, breaking free down the left side and then finding Benton wide open at the top of the six-yard box. Benton went to the lower right corner just past Benedictine keeper Carissa Gregory for the score.

The Ravens (1-0-1) answered back just five minutes into the second half. Salina native Kate Zackary broke free of the KWU defense and went one-on-one with Wesleyan keeper Karina Albarran, and found the back of the net.

"I felt we had a letdown the first ten minutes if the second half," Dibbini said. "But we rallied and finished the match on a high note."

Hannah Kern had a couple great looks with less than five minutes left in the match, including a point blank header that missed high to send the match into the first overtime.

The first overtime was played very evenly between the teams, as neither took a shot during the first ten minute period. The second overtime was delayed about ten minutes as Benedictine's Courtney Eisman was injured in the 103rd minute going for a ball against Albarran in the box.

Wesleyan (0-0-1) had a couple great chances late on shots by Eide and a long ball from Leanne Brown that went just wide.

"We played well," Dibbini said. "It gives us some ideas on what we have to work on to be able to come out and compete Saturday against Morningside and then next week against the tough teams in California."

Wesleyan was paced by Eide with three shots, two on goal, while three others had two shots each. Albarran went the distance in goal tallying nine saves and allowing just one goal.

Benedictine was led by Kelsey Schieber with four shots while four others had two apiece. Gregory went the distance in goal, tallying seven saves and one goal allowed.

The Coyotes head to Sioux City, Iowa to take on Morningside on Saturday, before returning home on Labor Day for a 10 a.m., contest with Dakota Wesleyan. The Coyotes then embark on a month-long road trip, not playing at home again until October 6 against Bethel.

-- KWU SI --