DUBUQUE, IOWA (Duhawks.com) – The Duhawks returned to the Rock Bowl on Saturday, opening another chapter in their rivalry with the No. 4 Wheaton College Thunder. Despite a scoreless first half, the Thunder pulled away in the second to earn the win, 2-0, over the Duhawks.

The Thunder came into the game fresh off a 3-0 loss at the hands Aurora University on their home turf on Wednesday night.  Both teams traded possession in the middle of the field in the first half but the Thunder managed five shots to Loras' one. Junior Katie Truesdale recorded the Duhawks' lone shot of the half on a header off the boot of Madie Avery in the 33' on a Loras corner. Senior goalkeeper Hannah Wilson had two saves in the first 45'.

In the second half, the Duhawks were put on their heels early by Thunder despite their attempts to create an offensive presence. The game-winner came in the 69' when Anna Seabolt made a break down the near line past her defender to cross the ball into the 18. Anna Burnidge was waiting at the back post where she guided the ball past Wilson with a header aimed at the bottom corner.

After the Thunder scored, Loras still struggled to find the feet of their forwards. The Thunder assaulted Wilson with a series of shots in the second half. Despite 10 shots by the Thunder, Wilson kept the Duhawks in the game denying the Thunder the back of the net for the majority of the second half, tallying 5 saves.

In the final five minutes of the game, Loras scrambled to find a goal focusing all their efforts in the offensive third. With just under two minutes remaining, senior Alexa Eggert broke up the far line to cross the ball in for Katie Truesdale but her shot attempt went wide left.

With just under thirty seconds to go, the Duhawks earned a corner and sent all 11 players into the box, leaving the net empty. Avery stepped to the ball to take the corner, and sent it into the mix in the box where it was cleared by the Thunder defense. The Duhawks hustled to get back but unfortunately, Ally Witt made it past Wilson then Lizzy McWhinney, scoring the insurance goal on the empty net as the clock ran out.

The loss drops the Duhawks to 4-5 on the season, marking the first time Loras has fell below .500 since the 2007 season in which they started out 3-5. The young team has struggled early on this season, and looks to turn things around before opening up conference play next weekend.

Loras has a midweek non-conference match up with the UW-Platteville Pioneers on Wednesday, posing another opportunity for the Duhawks to find some fluidity on the field. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. in the Rock Bowl.