MARION, Ind. -- Three second half goals lifted the Indiana Wesleyan University women's soccer team to a Homecoming victory over Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio) University on Saturday afternoon at Wildcat Field.

Indiana Wesleyan trailed 1-0 at the half before a three goal outburst led to the 3-0 victory. The match between the two programs was the first in Mid-Central College Conference play as Mount Vernon Nazarene (4-5-1, 1-1-0 MCC) joined the conference this season.

Despite dominating play throughout most of the match, Mount Vernon Nazarene held the 1-0 lead at halftime when Lindsey Shaffer caused an Indiana Wesleyan turnover right in front of the IWU goal for a score in the 37th minute.

"We needed more intensity and we needed to make better decisions and the forwards needed to take people on," said Indiana Wesleyan head coach Dr. John Bratcher. "Our passes across the 18 needed to be better. Technique was letting us down."

The Wildcats heeded the halftime advice and scored three times in the first 18 minutes of the second half.

The first of the goals came off a Cougar turnover which ended with junior forward Kelsey Johnston scoring off a pass from freshman midfielder Tracey Tiernon in the 49th minute. The game-winning goal came off a Cougar penalty in the box which resulted in senior defender Kristin Perrine scoring on a penalty kick. Senior midfielder Heidi Breckner added an insurance goal in the 63rd minute off a scramble in the box following a corner kick.

"We scored when we blocked a back kicking the ball and took it in, we got a penalty kick and the third goal was off a corner kick and we just kept fighting and fighting and put it in," said Bratcher. "It shows we can score different ways, not necessarily knocking the ball to a forward and run and shoot."

The victory over Mount Vernon Nazarene is the first MCC win this season for Indiana Wesleyan as they even their record at 1-1-0 in the conference. Overall, IWU improves to 6-5-0.

"If we learn from this we'll be fine. We need to take these games one at a time," added Bratcher.

Indiana Wesleyan will take to the road for their next three matches, all MCC contests. The first of those comes Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at Marian (Ind.) University in Indianapolis, Indiana.