HAMMOND, Ind. – The Saginaw Valley State University women's soccer team scored three unanswered goals to rally past Purdue Northwest 3-2 Sunday afternoon at Dowling Park.

The Cardinals improved to 8-4-0 overall and 6-2-0 in GLIAC play with the victory. Saginaw Valley scored once in the opening half and twice after halftime before holding off a late push from the Pride. Emily Kolodin (Grand Blanc, Mich., Grand Blanc HS) led the offense assisting all three goals to tie her for the single season program record of 10.

Purdue Northwest struck first in the 7th minute to put the Cardinals behind 1-0. Saginaw Valley responded in the 25th minute when Melanie Kolnitys (Midland, Mich., H. H. Dow HS) scored to level the match at 1-1 off the first of Kolodin's three assists. The teams remained tied through halftime.

SVSU took its first lead in the 57th minute. Alahna Beckett (Midland, Mich., Midland HS) found the back of the net at 56:44 off an assist from Kolodin to put the Cardinals ahead 2-1.

The Cardinals struck again just over six minutes later. Jaidyn Veldhouse (Grandville, Mich., Calvin Christian HS) scored in the 63rd minute with Kolodin providing her third assist of the afternoon, extending the advantage to 3-1.

Purdue Northwest continued to apply pressure and pulled within one with a goal at 80:10. The Pride produced 13 second-half shots and forced Ava Wilberding (Grand Rapids, Mich., Forest Hills Central HS) into six saves after halftime.

Wilberding and the Cardinal defense held off the late push. The Pride put shots on goal in the 89th and 90th minutes, but Wilberding stopped both attempts to preserve the 3-2 road victory. She finished the match with seven saves.

Saginaw Valley put five of its eight shots on goal and earned five corner kicks. Purdue Northwest finished with 22 shots, nine on goal, and five corners.

Head coach Tyler Channell said this about the win,

"Big way to come home with three points which was a total team effort today. The entire team got in and all contributed to the result. We had to absorb some pressure towards the end but was impressed with how we managed the game at the end. Six points on the weekend is tough in the conference so I'm very pleased with the result today."

Up Next: Saginaw Valley women's soccer heads to the newest GLIAC women's soccer program on Friday, October 9. The Cardinals travel to Wayne State to play the Warriors at 3 PM at the WSU Soccer Complex in Detroit, Michigan.