MORRIS, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Morris women's soccer team showed its resilience by coming back from a pair of deficits against the University of Wisconsin-River Falls before dropping a 5-4 decision on Tuesday afternoon. 

The Falcons took the lead in the 11th minute as Lexi Peterson took advantage of a miscommunication in the Cougar back line to intercept a back pass and scored unassisted for the early edge.

Minnesota Morris wasted little time in knotting the score and then taking the lead. Just over one minute later, Kim Peters played a square ball from just outside the six-yard box and it knocked off a Falcon defender for an own goal to make it 1-1 in the 13th minute. In the 14th minute, a corner kick for the Cougars resulted in a shot from Monica Calderon that was saved, a shot from Peters that caromed off the right post and then back to Calderon to nod home from close range for a 2-1 advantage.

UW-River Falls had plenty of attacking talent yet to get involved. In the 16th minute, a cross from the left wing took an unfortunate bounce as Aliviah McClinton mostly whiffed on the shot attempt but sent it into the path of Morgan Van Houten to finish off, making it 2-2. Madyson Shew then outraced the Cougar defense in the 18th minute to finish at a tight angle and give the Falcons the lead back.

Peters continued to be in the center of the action for Minnesota Morris, pouncing on a misplayed ball from the Falcon defense in the 44th minute and firing home to make it 3-3 at the break. Jay Kwateh provided the assist.

Both teams were defending well and limiting opportunities in the second half until Minnesota Morris was whistled for a foul in the box, resulting in a penalty kick for UW-River Falls. Bernadette Cienik got a hand to the shot from McClinton, but not enough to stop the ball from getting past to make it 4-3. Forced to press forward, the Cougars were left open at the back and Lauren Best scored in the 80th minute on a semi-breakaway to make it 5-3.

In the closing seconds of the match, Minnesota Morris was working in the UW-River Falls final third and an interplay between Peters and Harper Toward ended with a low cross from Toward that sneaked past the Falcon keeper and into the path of Kate Obright. Obright, playing her first career match after missing the previous three this season due to injury, steered the ball home for the goal and the 5-4 final.

Calderon finished with four shots in the match, three of which were on target. Peters and Jadyn Sondrol each had two shots apiece. Cienik finished the afternoon with 16 saves.

Minnesota Morris begins UMAC play on Saturday with a trip to Crown College for a 5 p.m. match with the Polars.