EUGENE, Ore. – Playing with a man-up advantage for nearly 60 minutes, the Northwest Christian University women's soccer team couldn't capitalize and in fact gave up a pair of shorthanded goals, eventually falling to Northwest University, 3-2. A win would have given NCU three Cascade Collegiate Conference victories in a season for the first time in school history.

The Beacons looked strong early on and needed just 11 minutes to score their first goal. Brittany McKinley (pictured) took a free-kick after an Eagle handball violation and fired in a 30-yard rocket. The ball was mishandled by the Northwest keeper and Heather Henderson was there to finish, using a chest bump to tap the ball in for the go-ahead score.

Soon, in the 17th minute, Northwest's Hannah McGraw was flagged with a red card due to a dangerous play, giving NCU an 11-on-10 advantage. The Beacons quickly took advantage of the opportunity and took a 2-0 lead in the 25th minute. McKinley was in on the assist again, this time with a corner kick. The ball traveled in to Brittney Yip who passed back across the box to Sarah Stalling, who hit the quick two-yard strike for the score.

Seemingly not phased, the Eagles scored a pair of shorthanded goals just 21 second apart to tie the score up at 2-2. In the 27th minute Abby Brauer laced a through-ball to Mindy Nation in the box, who fired home an 8-foot strike. Then in the 28th minute it was Brauer's turn, getting a breakaway pass from Jordyn Wilson and turning it into a goal from the top of the box with NCU's keeper drawn out.

The teams went into the intermission with the score knotted at 2-2 and with both teams settled down, the second half would be uneventful for the first 30 minutes. Then in the 76th minute, NCU's Alyssa Romero was given a red card for a dangerous play, and once again the teams were evened out on the field. Just three minutes later it would once again by Brauer doing the damage, scoring the game-winner on a 2-on-1 breakaway pass from Kristie Perron.

Northwest Christian had a golden opportunity to send the game into overtime. With just eight seconds remaining in regulation, Northwest was called for a handball in the box and a penalty kick was awarded to NCU. Jeneca Hoidal was called upon to kick the PK, but her attempt was blocked by a diving save from Eagle keeper Jessica Kane, preserving the victory.

“That girl can really dive,” said Hoidal after the game. “I don't think I've ever missed a PK like that from youth soccer on up. I give her all the credit in the world, it was an amazing save.”

The Beacons (3-11, 2-5 CCC) will have two more opportunities for that elusive third CCC win next weekend as they close out the season with home games against Oregon Tech on Friday (3:00 pm) and Southern Oregon on Saturday (7:00 pm).