WICHITA, Kan. – The No. 4 seeded Arizona Western Matadors Women's Soccer team played the final 46 minutes down a player, hanging on to beat the No. 5 seeded Hill College Rebels 3-2 in the first game of pool play at the NJCAA DI Women's Soccer Championship at the Scheels Stryker Sports Complex.

The Matadors scored three first-half goals before goalkeeper Iyan Hernandez was assessed a red card, leaving the Matadors to finish the game with 10 players. The Rebels scored just before the half and added another in the second half but the Matadors were able to fend off the late charge to win the opener.

Arizona Western opened the scoring in the fifth minute thanks to Dianna Taddei who knocked in a ball off a Linka Ono corner kick to put the Matadors in front 1-0. Ono had the second goal of the game, blasting a rocket just under the bar from 40 yards out to push the Matadors' lead to 2-0.

Naho Yamamura gave the Matadors their third lead of the game in the 20^th minute putting in a rebound across the mouth of the goal.

Matadors' defender Leigha Dobbins stepped into goal and played the final 46 minutes between the sticks, making a save in her first action in goal in her collegiate career.

The Matadors return to action on Tuesday, November 19, taking on the No. 9 seed Kansas City Kansas at 4:30 pm in Wichita, Kan., at Scheels Stryker Sports Complex on the final day of pool play.