Wed., Oct. 1, 2008

  FORT WAYNE, Ind. -- Once the shellshock wore off, the University of Saint Francis gave 18th-ranked Indiana Wesleyan University a physical, spirited match on Wednesday. The 6-5 Wildcats held off the determined Cougars 4-3 handing USF its first loss of the season.
  Ryan Crawford scored all three goals for the Cougars, his second career hat trick for USF, which slipped to 2-1 in Mid-Central College Conference competition while IWU improve to 3-0. It was the Wildcats fifth consecutive win and ended the Cougars' eight-game win streak.
  IWU took charge with a Mitch Lobdell score at 10:03, then smacked USF with two goals in a five-minute span to surge on top 3-0. Josh McKinley scored at 30:28 and Zach Grantham at 35:24.
  Crawford put USF on the board off a long punt from keeper Ryan Roy at the 38:44 mark to breathe life into the Cougars' attack. He added his second goal drawing the Cougars within a goal at the 59:55 mark in the second half.
   IWU's and the MCC's leading scorer, Joel Trainer, scored what proved to be the game-winner at 86:04. Crawford scored his third off a pass from Justin Darvish at 89:39. Jamie Werling got a shot off as time ran out that just went wide.
  "We were shellshocked," USF coach Mitch Ellisen said analyzing the first 10 minutes of the match. "They came out with extreme intensity and determination. Once we got our bearings and picked up our speed, we played well and made a match out of it. We played well after that start and finished strong. I've got to be please with that. No doubt we made it a thriller."
  The Cougars have little time to lament their first loss. They return to action on Friday at 4 p.m. at Coonan Field against Goshen College, the third of seven straight home matches.