WAUKESHA, Wis. - Carroll University Women's Soccer earned a hard-fought 3-2 victory over UW-Whitewater on Monday night at Schneider Stadium, securing their first home win of the season in dramatic fashion.

The Pioneers wasted no time asserting themselves, striking twice in the opening 15 minutes. Senior Carmella Nowak opened the scoring in the 13th minute, calmly converting a penalty kick to give Carroll the early lead. Just two minutes later, Ellie Patrickus found the back of the net off a well-placed assist from Brielle Ingalsbee, doubling the advantage and putting the Warhawks on their heels.

UW-Whitewater responded though, narrowing the gap before halftime. Makenzie Toms scored in the 37th minute, assisted by Karina Osborn, shifting the momentum and setting the stage for a tense second half. The Warhawks continued to press and eventually found the equalizer in the 86th minute when Summer Curtis capitalized on a defensive lapse to level the score at 2-2.

But Carroll refused to let the match slip away. Less than two minutes after conceding, the Pioneers surged forward with urgency. Ingalsbee, who had already assisted earlier in the match, stepped up again, this time scoring the game-winner in the 88th minute off a pass from Patrickus. Her decisive strike sealed the victory and capped off a resilient team effort.

Goalkeeper Payton Brose anchored the defense with seven saves, helping Carroll withstand a 20-shot barrage from UW-Whitewater. Despite being outshot, the Pioneers made the most of their chances and showed composure in key moments.

With the win, Carroll improves to 1-1-2 on the season and continues to build momentum as they take on Marian University in Fond Du Lac this Saturday at 2pm.