Payton DeLuga (Algonquin, Ill./Dundee Crown) scored a first half goal, but the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women's soccer team could not fend off a comeback by Viterbo University, losing 2-1 to the V-Hawks Wednesday afternoon in La Crosse.

UW-W drops to 8-9-1 with the loss while Viterbo, a NAIA institution, improves to 9-7.

The V-Hawks tested Warhawk goalkeeper Nina Yonan(Skokie, Ill./Niles North) early with a shot on goal in the second minute. Yonan was in the right spot and made the save.

Anna Boyd (De Pere, Wis./De Pere) had a golden opportunity to give the Warhawks a 1-0 lead, but her shot in the 25th minute was stopped by a Viterbo defender before crossing the goal line.

Payton DeLuga (Algonquin, Ill./Dundee Crown) broke open the scoring with her third goal this season in the 35th minute of play, and the Warhawks headed into the break with a 1-0 lead.

Less than six minutes into the second half, the V-Hawks tied the score as they snuck one past Yonan.

UW-W had a chance to take the lead in the 57th minute, but a penalty kick by Lauren Otto (Richmond, Ill./Richmond Burton Community) was saved by Viterbo's Abby Bretibach.

Viterbo seemed to gain momentum as the match wore on, outshooting the Warhawks 5-2 in the last 33 minutes, but regulation would end tied at one.

Two minutes and 22 seconds after overtime started, it was over. Viterbo's Nicole D'Ambrose scored to win the game.

The Warhawks will host UW-River Falls on Saturday at 3 p.m. in their final regular season match. A win over the Falcons would likely mean UW-W earns a spot in the upcoming Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament beginning next Tuesday. Check back to uwwsports.com for more information after Saturday's match

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