ELLENSBURG, Wash.--Kyra DiBenedetto scored the opening goal of the match and then provided the match clincher for Western Oregon during a 3-2 road victory over host Central Washington on Thursday night. 

The victory at Steve Hertling Field at Tomlinson Stadium was the first in conference play for the Wolves, evening their Great Northwest Athletic Conference record at 1-1-1. WOU is now 2-3-2 overall. The host Wildcats fell to 0-5-3 on the season and they are 0-2-1 in GNAC action.

DiBenedetto doubled her career scoring output when her team needed it most (she came into the match with two career goals for the Wolves in two seasons).  The senior got the visiting team on the scoreboard 9:32 into the match, taking a pass from Maya Courtenay directing it into the lower left portion of the goal. 

Central Washington answered in the 37th minute to tie the match at 1-1, which is where the score stood at intermission. In the first 45 minutes CWU outshot the Wolves 8-4, including 5-2 in shots on goal. The hosts had three corner kicks to none for WOU.

After the break, it didn't take Western long to regain the lead. Oliva Boger popped a shot into the lower right portion of the goal, using the second assist of the match from Courtenay in the 50th minute. But the Wildcats would knot the match up on a penalty kick at 58:54 to make it 2-2. 

Moments later, DiBenedetto gave the lead right back to the Wolves with a launch into the upper right hand corner of the goal. Boger provided the pass to give what would ultimately be the winning goal.

But the match was far from over as the Wildcats kept pressing. In the final 15 minutes CWU had four shots, including two on goal. The last great chance for the Wildcats came in the 83rd minute when a short Wildcat shot was saved by a diving Ayanah Soon. WOU continued to play prevent defense and when the horn went off at 90 minutes, they had the 3-2 victory.

Soon had a career high nine saves in the match in notching her second shutout of the season. She was kept busy on the evening as CWU finished with 18 shots (to eight for wou), including 11 on goal. The Wolves had six shots on goal. 

DiBenedetto had the two goals, Boger had a goal and an assist and Courtenay had two assists to lead the offense. 

The Wolves will continue east to take on Northwest Nazarene on Saturday at noon Pacific time. 

"Tonight was a pure team effort, from the front to the back," said Wolves head coach Nate Ulness. "Super proud of our forwards for burying their chances, Kyra for picking up a brace and Boger opening her account for the year. The back line was tough as nails and battled through a lot of adversity to make sure we stayed in front. We are so proud of this program as a staff and this was very good road victory."