WHEELING, W.Va. – Layne Hartnell knocked in the game-winning goal with less than 3 minutes remaining here Saturday as the West Liberty women's soccer team came from behind for a thrilling 3-2 win against Wheeling Jesuit at Bishop Schmitt Field.
    The victory clinched home-field advantage for the first round of the MEC Tournament for Coach Barry Christmas's resurgent Lady Hilltoppers (6-8-3, 6-5-2). The Black and Gold, who have lost only once in its last six games, will host Fairmont State in an MEC Tournament North Division semifinal Tuesday afternoon at the West Liberty Soccer Complex.
    That late-season streak seemed in serious jeopardy for much of the afternoon on Saturday as the host Cardinals (3-13-1, 2-10-1) bolted out to a quick 2-0 lead.
    Kayla Klock broke the scoring ice for Wheeling Jesuit in the 16^th minute and Emily Hartley, who had assisted on Klock's goal, made it 2-0 Cardinals when she scored on a rebound off a Cameron Smith shot in the 21^st minute.
    The Hilltoppers regrouped and were able to cut the lead in half when Sonata Beasley split the WJU defense with a well-weighted through ball and Nikki Lolua applied the finish, cutting the deficit to 2-1 at intermission.
    West Liberty kept creating opportunities when play resumed in the second half and was finally rewarded.
    On a quick counterattack following a Jesuit corner kick, Kaelyn Oskin ripped a 15-yard drive off the Cardinal keeper and into the net from a nearly-impossible angle deep on the left wing and the match was tied in the 69^th minute.
    West Liberty continued to press the issue as the match entered the waning minutes of regular time and forced a corner kick with just over three minutes remaining on the running clock.
    The ball bounced around inside the box for a few nervous seconds as the teams battled for possession in front of the cage but Oskin was able to head the ball over to Hartnell, who chipped it over the keeper's head and into the net with just 2:45 to go.
    Wheeling Jesuit finished with a slight 17-15 edge in total shots but it was the Hilltoppers who had the better scoring chances, putting 11 of their shots on frame to just 5 for the hosts.
    Lauren Hartnell had three saves to get the win in net for West Liberty while Asya Carney was charted with 8 saves for WJU.
  West Liberty                                       1  2 – 3
Wheeling Jesuit                                 2  0 – 2      WJU: Kayla Klock (Emily Hartley), 15:53
     WJU: Emily Hartley (Cameron Smith), 20:36
     WLU: Nicole Lolua (Sonata Beasley), 31:20      WLU: Kaelyn Oskin (unassisted), 68:32
     WLU: Layne Hartnell (Kaelyn Oskin), 87:20      Shots: West Liberty 15, Wheeling Jesuit 17
     Shots on Goal: West Liberty 11, Wheeling Jesuit 5
     Saves: West Liberty 3 (Lauren Hartnell 3), Wheeling Jesuit 8 (Asya Carney 8)
     Corners: West Liberty 3, Wheeling Jesuit 2
A: 158