TULSA, Okla. – Senior Kellee Willer netted the 14th hat trick in program history and South Dakota twice battled back from two-goal deficits on Thursday night at the Case Soccer Complex in a 4-4 draw against Oral Roberts.
 
Willer, the reigning Summit League Offensive Player of the Week, tallied her second multi-goal match in her last three outings with the hat trick for the Coyotes (7-9-2, 2-3-2 Summit). The three-goal effort was the first by any Coyote since Sammie Villwock found the back of the net three times against Green Bay on Sept. 6, 2015.
 
Oral Roberts (5-8-4, 2-2-3 Summit) jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead after just seven minutes of play as Jordan Langebartels netted a pair of early goals for the Golden Eagles. Shayla Padilla dished out the assists on the first goal, while Anna Gornell and Brianna McGowan had helpers on the second to build the quick lead.
 
Just 15 minutes later, however, Willer changed the course of the match with two goals separated by only 32 seconds, the fastest time between two goals for a single player in school history. On the first, Willer worked around her defender in the box after quick passes from Alexis Mitchell and Joana Zanin and ricocheted a shot off the far post and into the back of the net.
 
At the 23:20 mark, Willer leveled the match with a header served up on a long cross from Taylor Kelly, beating Allison Austin for the equalizer midway through the first half.
 
The Golden Eagles rebuilt a two-goal edge on goals from Drishana Pillay and McGowan on either side of the halftime break, but Taryn LaBree cut the deficit back to just one goal in the 50th minute. After Shaylee Gailus found her open down the right side, LaBree converted a one-on-one opportunity against the goalkeeper before the Oral Roberts defenders could close her out to make it 4-3.
 
Willer capped her hat trick with 71:15 on the clock on a shot from the edge of the box. Finding space, the Fort Collins, Colo., native launched a hard shot on goal that found the top left corner and gave the goalkeeper no chance to make the save.
 
Although both sides had scoring opportunities in the final 20 minutes of regulation and in the overtime periods, neither were able to capitalize as the match ended in a 4-4 draw.
 
South Dakota will return home on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. for its regular season finale, taking on Western Illinois to close out the 2019 campaign at the First Bank and Trust Complex.