After going into halftime with a 0-1 deficit, the women’s soccer team scored two unanswered goals in the second half to beat Western Michigan.

The win is the Flashes’ fifth in six games, bringing their overall record to 6-3-2 and 2-1 in MAC play. The Broncos fall to 5-3-2 with an identical 2-1 in conference record.

The first goal of the game came in the forty-first minute. WMU senior forward Irene Young lofted a corner kick over the arms of freshman goalie Ashleah McDonald and into the top corner of the net.

The Broncos controlled the first half with sustained offensive possessions, keeping the  Flashes off its side of the field.

It was the first time since September 6 against New Hampshire that the Flashes did not go into halftime leading in either shots or corner kicks.

Kent State started the second half with more opportunities on offense.

In the sixty-seventh minute, Flashes junior defender Brittany Maisano came close to connecting on a cross in the box. One minute later, she took it upon herself and fired the ball into the top right corner of the net to tie up the score 1-1.

In the seventy-fifth minute, the Broncos had its last best chance to take another lead, but McDonald made the save with a low dive to the ground.

With less than five minutes left, the Flashes were threatening to score.

After a cross from sophomore defender Jaime Eiben and a header from senior defender Briana Bartolone, junior forward Jenna Hellstrom knocked in her career-high eighth goal of the season to make it 2-1. It was Hellstrom’s conference-leading fourth game winner of the year.

The Flashes will host Northern Illinois at 1 p.m. on Friday at Zoeller Field.

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