With head coach Greg Cane sitting on win number 249 for the past two games, the University of Minnesota Duluth made his 250th win on Sunday one of the most nerve-racking and exciting outcomes he has experienced in his 24-year tenure. Three unanswered goals to battle back from a two-goal second-half deficit catapulted the Bulldogs past Wayne State College in a wild Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference shootout.

"It was a challenging weekend and we kept our composure and were resilient today," said Cane. "In a nine goal game you never know what to expect. The emotion of the game felt like a kite. This victory is a credit to the success of our program and the women who were in it. To our players now and to all 150-plus alumni who were played before. They get all the recognition."

Cane is the 10th coach to hit the 250-win milestone at the Division II level with one program and the second coach from the NSIC to do so (Ali Omar, Winona State, 1995-16). His 265 collegiate wins (15 with St. Scholastica) ranks him 14th among head coaches with at least 10 years of DII coaching experience. Even more impressive, the soccer manager became the 13th head coach to accumulate 250 wins at UMD in any sport.

Cane and the Bulldogs couldn't of asked for a better start to the game. Senior defender Anna Morrison intercepted a throw in and moved the ball up to junior forward Natalie St. Martin along the side. St. Martin advanced up the side and with the help of quick touch passes by sophomore midfielder Nan Glinsek and junior forward Madison Carey to get the ball back to her as she tightroped the touchline into the attacking third. St. Martin fed the ball to junior forward Destiny Schmitz who hammered the ball in to give UMD a fast 1-0 lead 2:17 into the game. The outstanding start was a ploy as the Wildcats responded with two goals in the next nine minutes to snatch the lead from the Bulldogs.

In the 33rd minute, senior defender Emily Fleissner found the net with a header after a corner kick by junior midfielder Laura Edgren to tie the game. Fleissner compiled her third goal, all coming via the header. WSC answered before the half connecting from three yards out off a blocked shot to take a 3-2 lead into the half.

The Wildcats struck gold again 107 seconds into the second half to double their lead to 4-2. UMD caged the WSC attacked and mounted its comeback. Glinsek found a breaking Skye Finley racing towards the box and roped her the ball. The left footed shot by the senior forward rolled past the keeper to cut the lead to one. The Bulldogs finally tied it in the 76 minute off a free kick. Edgren lofted the ball to the opposite side of the pitch and Fleissner out muscled her defender and headed it toward the middle. Carey broke free and was left all alone to tap it into the empty net. 

UMD outworked the Wildcats in the extra frame, outshooting them 3-0. The Bulldogs held possession the entire period and eventually St. Martin smashed the overtime winner 5:11 into the first overtime. Sophomore midfielder Maddie Milbrath sent the ball near the box. The WSC defender couldn't collect possession and pushed it over to St. Martin. St. Martin fired to the far post and helped her team walk off with the victory. With Milbrath's assist, the team now has 17 different point producers this season matching the 2003 team.

The 5-4 victory was the first time UMD scored five goals in a game since Oct. 4, 2013 against none other than the Wildcats. That match also featured the last time the club had five different goal scorers which happened today as well. The Bulldogs haven't been involved in a nine-goal game since it loss 5-4 to Bemidji State University on Sept. 2, 2004. Oddly enough, UMD also played in a nine goal game against Wayne State back in the 2003 season when it erupted for eight goals.

The Bulldogs' next game will have them return home for their Malosky Stadium finale. That home game will take place Friday under the lights against Bemidji State University at 6:00 p.m.