(LEBANON, Ill., Oct. 28)- The McKendree University women's soccer team scored three goals in the opening half on Wednesday in a 4-2 win over University of Illinois Springfield and earned a berth into the Great Lakes Valley Conference tournament for the first time since 2013.

The Bearcats improved to 8-7-3 overall and 7-6-2 in the GLVC, and will travel to Louisville, Ky., on Sunday, Nov. 1 to face top-seed and No. 18 Bellarmine University in the tournament quarterfinals at 12 p.m. ET.

McKendree wasted no time getting on the scoreboard and took a 1-0 lead 20-seconds into the game on a goal by Alyssa Patterson (Troy, Ill./Triad). The Prairie Stars tied the game in the 37th minute, but the Bearcats answered with a goal by Sydnee Carroll (Millstadt, Ill./Belleville West) off an assist by Danielle Hareb (Flatbush, New Zealand/Mount Albert) in the 42nd minute, and an unassisted goal by Hareb in the 43rd minute to take a 3-1 lead into the half.

Carroll struck again for her second goal of the game, and sixth of the season, in the 68th minute on an assist by Lauren Mantei (Springfield, Ill./Rochester). Illinois Springfield added a goal in the 79th minute to cut the deficit to 4-2, but the McKendree defense held to earn the win.

Goalkeeper Taylor Zerbe (St. Louis, Mo./Trinity Catholic) improved to 8-7-3 overall and had three saves in the victory.

Prior to the game, the Bearcats honored Patterson, Zerbe, Mantei, Cassie Kaiping (Waterloo, Ill./Waterloo), Liz Kaiser (St. Louis, Mo./Ursuline), Aubrey Boulicault (Maryland Heights, Mo./Pattonville), Jessica Smugala (Imperial, Mo./Seckman), and Jordyn Reiniger (Collinsville, Ill./Collinsville) as part of senior day festivities.