GAMBIER, Ohio – After finding a pair of first-half equalizers, the Kenyon Ladies couldn't keep pace with the visiting Wheaton College Thunder in the second half as the visitors scored four goals and won by a 6-3 score. It was the most goals conceded by Kenyon since September 15, 2007 when Wheaton won 5-0 over the Ladies.
 
Despite a sour post-game feeling, the Ladies do have the North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament coming up next week. Kenyon, the four seed, will travel to one-seed Wittenberg University November 2.
 
In the first half, Kenyon was down 1-0 after Wheaton's Anna Saunders curved a corner into the net in the sixth minute.
 
Maggie Smith, who was honored at halftime as the team's lone senior, found the equalizer in the 20th minute. A through ball along the left side by Gillian Blackwell was picked up by Smith and she fired into the left corner for her team-leading 11th goal of the season.
 
After the Thunder got another goal, freshman Morgan Engmann scored Kenyon's second equalizer. The freshman sprinted down the left side and shot into center net at 33:29 and once again the score got tied, this time at 2-2.
 
That score remained the same until a second-half barrage of goals from the Thunder put the non-conference game away.
 
Eight minutes into the second stanza, Morgan Whitman regave Wheaton the lead as she beat keeper Maria Paparella and fired into the center of the net. The next goal from Hannah Cockrum turned into the game-winner. After a shot was saved by Paparella, Cockrum collected the loose ball and fired for her second goal of the season.
 
Kenyon didn't recover after but did find one more goal, with Maia Emden scoring in the 79th minute. It was her first collegiate goal.
 
Stay tuned for more information including game times for next week's conference tourney.