WALLA WALLA, Wash.  The cruelest turn of events Sunday at the Whitman Athletic Fields allowed visiting George Fox University to escape with a 2-1 Northwest Conference victory over the host Blues in women's soccer action.

Whitman (2-12-1, 2-8-1 NWC) had scored the tying goal in the 78th minute when Dani Espinoza lofted a shot from above the box over Fox goalkeeper Kelsey Kammerzell, who had drifted out far off her line. The marker was Espinoza's first as a collegian.

The Bruins (6-6-2, 4-5-2) answered with sustained pressure over the next minutes, generating a pair of shots that were both wide right of the goal. They eventually earned a penalty kick opportunity after a hand ball was called in the box when a Whitman defender reflexively threw her hands up to protect her face off a hard cross from the low right corner.

Brittany Bravo was able to sneak her PK attempt into the left side of the goal past a diving Allie Seracuse for what became the game-winner at the 88:39 mark.

Whitman did have its opportunities in the contest, out shooting the Bruins 9-2 in the opening 45 minutes until the visitors scored in the 43rd on only their third shot of the half.

The Blues put five of their nine first-half shots on frame, forcing starting goalie Annalisa Klein to come up with stops each time to keep Whitman off the scoreboard. Kammerzell took over for Klein at the start of the second half and did not register a save but did get the win.

Seracuse made a stop in each half to finish the afternoon with a pair of saves for the Blues.

Whitman heads west for its Tacoma, Washington, weekend next, taking on host Pacific Lutheran University on Friday followed by a Saturday match at University of Puget Sound.