The Dominican University women’s soccer team fell in Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) action on Tuesday afternoon, dropping a 3-2 decision to the visiting Benedictine University Eagles.
 
Kelly Petty (Crystal Lake, Ill.) notched two goals in the losing effort, her second and third of the season, including giving the Stars a 1-0 lead in the 18^th minute as she lifted a shot from 15 yards out over the head of Benedictine’s goalkeeper, Abby Gary, who had come off her line.
 
Benedictine responded with a pair of goals less than a minute apart as Jackie Elzakhem collected a failed clearance attempt by the Stars and ripped a shot from 16 yards out, beating Sara Stepanovich (Des Plaines, Ill.) to the near post in the 36^th minute.  Then in the 37^th minute, the Eagles’ Nikki Jhanji netted her sixth goal of the season as she settled a cross from teammate Brittany Brewster before finding the back of the net.
 
The Eagles carried the 2-1 advantage into the 72^nd minute when Petty got loose again, this time receiving a pass from Rebekah Frese (Carlisle, Iowa) behind the Eagles’ defense before dribbling past Gary for her third goal of the season.
 
Two minutes later, Jhanji got in behind the Stars’ defense for a 1v1 opportunity with the goalkeeper but Stepanovich kept the game tied at 2-2 as she came off her line, taking away any angle for Jhanji before making a sliding slave.
 
In the 82^nd minute, Jhanji was finally able to net the game-winner, as Hayley Gerdes slid a pass up the right flank to Jhanji who was able to beat her defender before dribbling to the goal where she tallied her second goal of the game.
 
The loss drops the Stars to 0-6-0 on the season and 0-2-0 in the NACC.  Dominican will return to the field on Saturday, traveling to Fond du Lac, Wis., to take on the Marian University Sabres.  Kickoff in the NACC matchup is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.