The women’s soccer team earned a huge upset victory on Tuesday, despite abysmal weather conditions and a venerable opposing team. The Cardinals won 3-2 against Western Connecticut State University, which is ranked 4th in New England and 23rd nationally in Division III.

After being shutout in all three of their previous meetings with the Colonials, the Cardinals were well aware of the daunting task ahead of them.

“We went into the game expecting to work really hard,” said defender Hannah Stuckey ’12. “Everyone was responsible for playing the best they could.”

Getting underway on a swampy, mosquito-infested Jackson Field, the Cards rang one up early, finding the net only 1:33 into the contest. The goal, tucked in by Cora Lautze ’11, came off a corner kick from Taylor Stevenson ’10, her first of two successful set pieces from the flag on the day.

Western Connecticut, however, responded with a barrage of offense, denying Wesleyan a single shot for the rest of the first half. The Colonials tied the score just seven minutes after Lautze’s goal, as sophomore Lauren Matthews buried a pass from senior Catherine Nathans to bring the game level.

Wild Wild Western Connecticut continued to keep the pressure on, waging numerous scoring campaigns. However, these attempts were rendered unsuccessful thanks to the goaltending of Clare Colton ’12, who had six saves in her 45 minutes as keeper, and a nifty defensive play by Stuckey.

With 17 minutes to play in the first half, Western Connecticut’s goal scorer Matthews found herself with the rock in front of an empty net, having beaten Colton to a loose ball in the mixer. As if mystified by the ease with which she was about to score, Matthews paused for a second before taking a cautious strike at goal. Stuckey, seizing the opportunity, rushed back to mark the post and got a foot on the volley, deflecting the ball out of harm’s way.

While the Cards were lucky to come out of the locker room even at halftime, the team emerged for the final 45 minutes with newfound resolve. Having been stymied for almost the whole first half, the Wesleyan midfield and offense started to come together beautifully, keeping possession in Colonial territory with quick touches, switching fields and moving the ball around with precision passing.

The work finally paid off in the 65th minute as leading scorer Hillary Biggs ’12 found the net. The goal was set up by a scoring opportunity from Marissa Trevisan ’09, who had a great look from the edge of the box on the right side. Her shot was on target, but was deflected by Western Connecticut keeper Shannon Cawley. Once again, Stevenson stepped in to take the corner, and again she fired in an excellent ball. This time, Biggs picked it up on the other end, taking it to the bank for the Cards’ second score of the game.

Reluctant to sit back with the lead against such a strong team, however, Wesleyan kept chipping away at the Western Connecticut defense. Emma Nitzberg ’12, created an excellent chance for herself only a few minutes later, putting pressure on and forcing a defender to cough up the ball deep on her own side. Nitzberg put a shot on, but Cawley denied it with a nice save.

Nitzberg would find the net soon after, though, as a pass from Anna Crystal ’11 came her way in the 78th minute.

“Anna hit a ball over the top of the defenders from the center of the field,” Nitzberg said after the game. “I ran on and got a shot off and the ball bounced in.”

Now behind two goals and desperate, the Colonials threw everything they had at Wesleyan, playing with intensity as the 90th minute mark drew closer. Western Connecticut negated the insurance goal just four minutes later in the 81st, as Matthews, a one-woman-army that afternoon, put a rebound past keeper Gavi Elkind ’09, who returned for the second half.

The resulting 10 minutes were a scramble, as Western Connecticut tried desperately to tie the game. The Cardinal defense, however, hung tough and held on for the win.

“The defense worked extremely well together and had great communication throughout the game which made this win possible,” Stuckey later commented.

The upset, another trophy on the mantelpiece of an already impressive season, brings women’s soccer to a formidable 4-1-1 record overall. The surging Cards will head to Maine on Saturday to take on northerly NESCAC rivals Colby College at 11 a.m.