INDEPENDENCE, Ore. – Western Oregon needed every one of the 90 minutes played Tuesday to win a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Saint Martin's at Panther Stadium. After trailing at half, Dani Payne scored the equalizer with a header and Sydney Thomas recorded the game-winner with 39 seconds left in regulation.
 
Saint Martin's (3-13-1, 2-9-0 GNAC) started the goal-scoring in the 33^rd minute with Hannah Frakes scoring her team-leading fifth goal heading in a shot off a great cross from the left side from Camryn Althauser. The Wolves held SMU to just one other shot in the first half while taking three of their own and entered the half trailing 1-0.
 
The second half was a different story as WOU took just 10 minutes to find their tying goal. Sparked off a corner kick from Taylor Higa, Payne found open space right in front of the goal and headed in the ball past Ali Koehler. It was Payne's first goal of the year, the second of her career.
 
Saint Martin's nearly took back the lead in the 88^th minute, but a shot from Micaylla O'Leary from inside the six-yard box was cleanly saved by Caitlin Kastelic.
 
The Wolves (5-10-1, 2-8-1 GNAC) took their only lead of the match at the 89:21-mark on Thomas' first goal of the year. It was Dacia Alexander who set up the play with a nice forward ball into the box to Thomas, who headed it past Koehler for the go-ahead goal. SMU tried a counter in the final seconds, but WOU cleared out the ball to secure the win.
 
Western Oregon closes out GNAC play and the regular season with a home match against Seattle Pacific at 1 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 27, played at Central High School.