HAMMOND, Ind. – Head coach Brittany Nikolic notched her 100th career victory Sunday as Parkside (4-3-2, 4-0-1 GLIAC) won its second straight, grinding out a 2–1 road win at Purdue Northwest (1-6-1, 0-4-1 GLIAC) at Pepsi Field. The Rangers have now secured 10 of a possible 12 points to open conference play.

Parkside struck first in the 27th minute off a designed free-kick sequence. Emily Giese played a restart from the left side short to Emily Slye on the flank, and Slye rifled a service into the box. Emily Mikkelson let it run and left it on a platter for Ava Rizzitano, who smashed a first-time shot past first-half goalkeeper Poppy Jackson to make it 1-0 in the 27th minute. It marked Rizzitano's second goal in as many matches, with Slye and Mikkelson credited with the assists.

The Pride leveled right before halftime after Makayla Wesemann was whistled for a foul in the box. Melissa Mwaura converted the penalty in the 45th minute, sneaking it by a diving Tristen Cross to her left to send the match to the break tied 1-1.

However, Cross delivered the save of the afternoon in the 76th minute, when Dakota Fulkerson's dipping free kick from roughly 25 yards was angling toward the top-left corner; Cross punched it away at full stretch to preserve the stalemate.

Parkside found the winner in the 86th minute. Kayden Schmidt lofted a high, arcing ball toward the area from the right wing that trickled through two defenders to Lindsay Dahlinger, who settled and finished for her second game-winning goal of the season, sealing the 2-1 result.

The Rangers controlled the shot column 14-6 and put nine attempts on target to the Pride's five. Cross made four saves in 90 minutes, while Jackson (4) and second-half keeper Meta Fischer (3) combined for seven for PNW. Parkside also held a 3-2 edge in corners.

Parkside continues its road swing next Friday, Oct. 3, visiting No. 4 Grand Valley State in Allendale at 4 p.m. To keep up with the Rangers, head to parksiderangers.com/coverage.