BELOIT, Wis. — The Knox College women's soccer team had its opportunities but could not quite convert as host Beloit (4-8-3, 3-1-1 Midwest Conference) fought off the Prairie Fire (1-10-2, 0-3-1) on Saturday afternoon at Strong Soccer Field, 1-0.

After a scoreless first half, the Buccaneers quickly took the lead coming out of the locker room as Abigail Membrino found the back of the net 27 seconds into the second half off a pass from Natalie Ortiz. Knox continued to battle and finally had a golden opportunity with a little more than three minutes to play when a Prairie Fire player was fouled in the box. The penalty kick was swift and sure, but banged off the crossbar and caromed far from the goal, leaving Beloit in the lead.

"We knew this game would be a battle," head coach Annie Gerdes said after the game. "And we have known all season that people might doubt us. But every game we show our opponents and fans that we have a lot of talent and potential. We battled for 90 minutes and, despite missed chances, we played well. We will continue to build upon each game, and we are excited for what we can accomplish over the remainder of the season."

• Beloit held a 21-8 shot advantage and 10-2 on goal.
• First-year goalkeeper Darby Wallig recorded nine saves in another strong showing in goal.
• The loss ended a modest two-game unbeaten streak.

Knox returns to Jorge Prats Field in Galesburg for a showdown with Monmouth College (3-8-3, 1-3-1 MWC) on Tuesday, Oct. 22 at 4 p.m. Live video and stats will be available through PrairieFire.Knox.edu, the official athletics website of Knox College.