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VIDEO - game-winning goal

A spectacular goal by Anna Perona (Chicago, Ill./Loyola Academy) in the 68th minute was the difference, as the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women's soccer team defeated DePauw University 1-0 Saturday afternoon in St. Louis Missouri at the "W" Challenge hosted by Washington University-St. Louis.
 
Both teams came out with a strong attack, forcing the opposition to make several key defensive plays.
 
In the first 21 minutes of play, each goalie had already recorded two saves.
 
As the half wore on, neither team really gained any momentum.
 
The Tigers gave themselves one more chance with less than three minutes until halftime, but Nina Yonan (Skokie, Ill./Niles North) recorded her third save of the half to keep the match scoreless.
 
A pair of shots by Carli Nehls (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove North) in the 50th minute were stifled by the DePauw defense, but set the tone for the half.
 
Eighteen minutes later, Savannah Curtis (Lodi, Wis./Lodi) corralled a ball on the right side of the field and struck a right-footed cross to the near post where Anna Perona (Chicago, Ill./Loyola Academy) volleyed it in with her right foot for a 1-0 UW-W lead.
 
The Warhawk defense did the rest, as DePauw never even got a good look at the goal.
 
UW-W outshot the Tigers 12-9 in the match, including 5-3 on goal. All of DePauw's shots on goal came in the first 45 minutes.
 
Yonan tallied the three first half saves to earn her third shutout of the season and improve to 3-2 overall.
 
The Warhawks, 5-2, will face the host, #6 Washington University-St. Louis, Sunday at 1:30 p.m. in the championship match of the "W" Challenge.