ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. - The Bard College women's soccer team topped Wilkes University, 3-1, Saturday afternoon in a non-conference scorcher. 

With temperatures in the 80s and heavy humidity looming over the contest throughout, the Raptors not only had to rise to the challenge of the elements, but also from the competition as well. Last season, the Colonels of Wilkes University won 14 games en route to an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. 

None of that mattered Saturday however, as the Raptors (3-2-1) outplayed the visitors (2-2) over the entire 90-minute game. 

Bard got on the board first, thanks to some great build up from Dylan McDonald, Val Thomson and some unlucky defending by Wilkes. After receiving a pass in the middle of the field, McDonald quickly turned and found Thomson streaking down the right wing. Thompson unleashed a shot toward goal, but before the keeper could dive at it, a Wilkes defender got her foot on the ball and accidently redirected it into net for an own-goal.

That bit of luck came in the 14th minute for the Raptors, as the hosts carried the 1-0 advantage into halftime.

In the second half, another great build up from McDonald and Thomson led to the second goal, just reversed this time. In the 57th minute, Thomson found a streaking McDonald and sent a long through ball down the middle to her. McDonald dribbled a few yards toward goal, before slotting it over the sliding keeper for a 2-0 advantage. 

The Raptors' celebration was short lived though, as Wilkes quickly countered with a lucky goal from Haley Evans (Deptford, NJ) just a minute later. From about 35 yards out, Evans popped up a shot toward Bard's keeper, Abigail Stanley, that appeared to be too high. At the last second, it dipped down and snuck past Stanley, despite her getting a hand on it.

The goal didn't matter in the end though, because five minutes later, Mikaela Martiros scored on another long through ball from Thomson to put Bard in front, 3-1.

Over the final 30 minutes, the Colonels pushed forward with true urgency, as they tried to get back into it. Stanley wasn't going to be beaten again however, as she was called upon to make a few clutch saves late in the contest. The rest of the Bard defense was just as strong and punctuated their performance with a goal-line clearance in the final minute to preserve the 3-1 scoreline.

On the afternoon, Abigail Stanley finished with six saves and the win for Bard, while Courtney Stanley (Yardville, NY) tallied three saves in the loss.

Up next for the Raptors is another home contest on September 19th, as they host Purchase College at 7 p.m. You can follow it right here.