The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women's soccer team found a late equalizer in the second half to force overtime Saturday but was unable to carry the momentum into overtime in a 2-1 loss against Illinois Wesleyan in the first round of the NCAA Division III Championship at the St. Paul, Minnesota Regional hosted by St. Thomas.
 
Junior midfielder Anna Boyd (De Pere, Wis./De Pere) found the back of the net in the 78th minute on an assist from junior midfielder Anna Perona (Chicago, Ill./Loyola Academy) to level the match at 1-1.
 
UW-Whitewater withstood a pair of shots by the Titans (15-5) in the last seven minutes of regulation and had a corner kick chance in the 87th minute.
 
Five minutes into the overtime, after one corner kick for each side, Illinois Wesleyan found the sudden-death goal to advance to the second round, where it will face St. Thomas.
 
The Warhawks (14-6-3 overall) earned their bid to the NCAA Tournament after sweeping the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference regular season and tournament championships for the fourth time in program history.
 
The Titans applied pressure in the UW-Whitewater half of the field in the opening period and eventually tallied in the 42nd minute following a corner kick.
 
Senior goalkeeper Sara Klimisch (Pleasant Prairie, Wis./Indian Trail High School and Academy) registered four saves in the effort. She and fellow seniors Emily Mouille (Waunakee, Wis./Waunakee), Elli Wahlberg (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles North) and Nina Yonan (Skokie, Ill./Niles North) helped the Warhawks record two WIAC regular season and tournament championships and three NCAA Tournament appearances over the last four years.