VERMILLION, S.D. – Four second-half goals catapulted South Dakota to a 4-2 victory over Omaha on Thursday afternoon at the First Bank and Trust Soccer Complex in the program's annual Pink Game.
 
The victory moves South Dakota (7-9, 2-3 Summit) into a tie for fifth place in the Summit League standings with three regular season matches remaining.
 
South Dakota got its first spark from Alexis Mitchell, who scored her fifth goal of the season on a header served up by Taryn LaBree in the 47th minute. LaBree found Mitchell from the right side of the attacking third, and Mitchell booted the ball above Omaha goalkeeper Kelly Lemke to give the Coyotes the lead early in the second half.
 
Minutes later, at the 50:01 mark, Kellee Willer scored on a pass from Taylor Kelly on the right side of the attacking third. Willer corralled the pass, squared herself up and fired into the back left corner of the net to double the South Dakota lead with just under 40 minutes remaining.
 
Omaha (5-10-1, 2-4 in Summit) got on the board in the 63rd minute, as Bailey Cascio snuck a shot under Coyote goalkeeper Bella Alessio to cut the Mavericks' deficit in half.
 
Only 62 seconds later, however, Willer struck for the second time on the afternoon as she headed home a corner from Taylor Cotter past Lemke. The multi-goal effort is the third of Willer's career as she netted the match-winner for the Coyotes on Thursday.
 
In the 79th minute, the Coyotes capitalized on an own goal from Omaha, as the ball bounced off a defender inside the box and recoiled into the Mavericks' net to push the advantage to 4-1.
 
Despite a late goal from Omaha's Hannah Heinemann in the 89th minute, South Dakota held on for the critical Summit League win by the 4-2 final scoreline.
 
The Coyotes, who have won two of their last three matches, host archrival South Dakota State (13-3, 5-0 Summit) on Sunday at 1 p.m. for a South Dakota Showdown Series battle from the First Bank and Trust Soccer Complex. The Jackrabbits, who have not given up a goal in conference play, host North Dakota State on Thursday evening before making the trip to Vermillion on Sunday.