SPOKANE, Wash. – Megan Whitman scored what became the match-winning goal with 2:31 left to play and Kayla Jones made a career-high 15 saves to lift Whitworth to a hard-fought 13-12 win over visiting Kalamazoo on Thursday evening at the Pine Bowl.

The Pirates (3-3) pulled even on the season for the first time this year with their second straight victory.  The Hornets (2-5) dropped the first of a four-game trip through Washington.

The visitors jumped to a 4-1 lead in the opening 10 minutes, including a pair of goals from Tessa Fuller.  Campbell Vincent scored her first of the match at the end of the opening quarter, getting Whitworth within 4-2 and sparking a 5-0 scoring run over the next nine minutes of match play.

Vincent scored three straight goals in the second, including a pair of free position attempts, to lift Whitworth into a 6-4 lead.  Kalamazoo scored the final two of the first half to force a 7-7 tie, including Ella Spooner's goal with 2:51 to play in the period.

Fuller's fourth goal of the contest gave the Hornets their final lead of the game at 9-8.  Rose Frezza converted consecutive free position goals and Jordyn Bennett snuck one just across the line to give the Bucs an 11-9 lead after three periods.

Vincent's final goal of the game gave Whitworth its largest lead at 12-9 90 seconds into the fourth quarter.  Kalamazoo answered with three straight goals to force a 12-12 tie, their final by Abbie Caza from an assist by Doyle with 8:54 to play.

That's when Jones came up big for the Pirates, making four saves in the match's final seven minutes.  Two came after Whitman scored the go-ahead goal from an assist by Sierra Witte with 2:31 left. 

Vincent led Whitworth with five goals and an assist.  Whitman, Frezza and Bennett all had two each.  Whitman added four ground balls, two drawn controls and two forced turnovers.

Fuller led Kalamazoo with five goals and three assists, while Spooner and Caza had two each.  Kennedy Hynde won ten draw controls for the Hornets.

Whitworth will host Chapman University in a non-conference match on Sunday at 1:00 pm.