SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Freshman Regina Bolin's (Kansas City, Mo.) shot in the 74th minute of play turned out to be the game-winner as the University of Illinois Springfield women's soccer team defeated the McKendree Bearcats, 1-0, Wednesday night at Kiwanis Stadium.

The Prairie Stars picked up their first GLVC win of the season and finish the 2014 campaign with a 4-11-3 record and a 1-11-3 GLVC mark.

Bolin notched her third goal of the season and first game-winner. In the 74th minute, freshman Alysa Manwill (St. Louis, Mo.) fired a shot that was saved by McKendree's Taylor Zerbe. After the Bearcats failed to clear the ball, Bolin picked it up and slotted it home to give the Prairie Stars a 1-0 lead, which they held for the win.

The Prairie Stars went on the defensive from the first whistle. The Bearcats created two shots and three corner kicks within a two minute span early in the game. Junior goalkeeper Paige Polonus (Plainfield, Ill.) was called on again later in the half, stopping Rachel Kaltwasser's shot in the 37th minute. 

UIS nearly took the lead just before halftime. A header from Bolin was denied by the Zerbe in the 44th minute. Senior Kim Tokarski's (Hobart, Ind.) less than a minute later was also stopped as the game went to halftime scoreless.

In the second stanza, the Bearcats threatened to score in the 70th minute but Alyssa Patterson's shot deflected off the crossbar. After a McKendree corner kick, Polonus made back-to-back saves to keep the visitors off the scoreboard. Just minutes later, the Prairie Stars went on the attack and found the breakthrough as Bolin found the back of the net to send UIS to victory.