The UTM soccer team earned its third straight win Sunday with a 3-1 victory over the Indiana Purdue-Ft. Wayne (IPFW) Mastodons.

Both teams entered halftime scoreless, as defense dominated the first half.

After a season of struggling in the second half, the Skyhawks fought back to score all three of their goals in the last 30 minutes of a very physical game.

Only ten minutes into the second half, IPFW’s Kristin Mahoney scored the first goal of the game. She was unassisted in the play, rebounding her own shot for the goal.

With 28 minutes left, sophomore Katie Jackson received a pass from junior Rachel Callahan and kicked the ball in for the Skyhawk’s first goal of the game. Callahan earned the assist.

Jackson returned to the goal four minutes later. Callahan again passed to Jackson from midfield. Jackson headed the ball into the goal giving Callahan a second assist.

With only eight minutes left in the game, junior Ginger Schmitt provided insurance for the Skyhawks by scoring a third goal. Schmitt launched the ball from about 40 yards out.

UTM was outshot by IPFW, 23-7. Skyhawk goalkeeper, Megan Dempsey, stopped the Mastodon offense earning seven saves.

“We didn’t play a good first half,” said Skyhawk head coach Nathan Pifer. “But we fought back and won it. I think that shows a lot of character on our part.

“Hopefully we can carry that character in with us if we have to fight for a close game in the OVC,” said Pifer.

The Skyhawks face their first OVC opponent at 7 p.m., Friday, Oct. 3 against Jacksonville State. The Skyhawks will face Jacksonville sporting a 5-2-1 record. The two schools last met in 1998.