LATROBE, Pa. (Oct. 12) – Jordan Kirkwood's off-angled goal in the 81st minute lifted the Saint Vincent women's soccer team to a 3-2 victory over visiting Waynesburg University on Senior Day at UPMC Field.
 
With the victory, the Bearcats improve to 11-1-1 overall and 5-0 in the Presidents' Athletic Conference, good for sole possession of first place in the league standings. Saint Vincent extends its best start to a season in program history.

After a scoreless first half, each of the game's five goals were scored over a frenetic 24-minute span in the second frame.

The Bearcats got on the board with 33:45 left in regulation, when Kyra Smith knocked home a long rebound off of a save made on a Jude Galvin shot to make it 1-0.
 
The lead was short-lived, however, as just 65 seconds after Smith's goal, Waynesburg's Regan Mittendorf drew a penalty in front of the net and converted on the penalty kick to forge a 1-all tie with 32:40 to go.

Saint Vincent regained the lead with 14:35 left when Cori Bieber's perfectly placed, left-footed free kick from just over 30 yards out curled into the goal, her first brace of the season.
 
As was the case earlier, Waynesburg needed little time to answer back, with Amanda Pepe's goal tying the game at 2-2 just 25 seconds later.
 
With just over nine minutes to go, the Bearcats put heavy pressure on the Yellow Jacket defense deep in the offensive third. Jordan Kirkwood took possession of the ball on the sideline and dribbled toward the corner flag, where she stopped and sent what appeared to be an entry pass toward the goal mouth. However, the ball curved perfectly inside the back post for Kirkwood's third goal of the season, putting the hosts up 3-2 with 9:07 left in regulation.
 
The SVC defense then held Waynesburg in check down the stretch, as the Yellow Jackets mustered just two shots over the final nine minutes, with one saved by Rilyn Warner, to preserve the one-goal win.
 
For the game, Saint Vincent outshot Waynesburg 13-8, with each team notching five shots on goal and taking two corner kicks apiece.
 
Warner, the reigning PAC Newcomer of the Week, earned the win in goal by making three saves.
 
Prior to the match, the SVC senior class of Madison Arnold, Maggie Perkins, Catie Dzikowski, Morgan Klingeman and student-assistant coach Kendall Caster were honored in an on-field ceremony for their contributions to the Bearcat women's soccer program.
 
The Bearcats will be back at home on Tuesday, Oct. 15, taking on PAC foe Washington & Jefferson in a 5 p.m. match at UPMC Field.