BALDWIN CITY - Kansas Wesleyan Flag Football had their backs to the wall at the end of the game on Saturday against Baker University.
A huge defensive stand by the Coyotes would secure a 14-13 win in the Kansas Conference game between the teams.
It was the final KCAC game for Wesleyan, who still has two regular-season games left against Ottawa on Tuesday and Midland on Thursday, but both are non-conference games.
KWU will head into the KCAC tournament with an 8-1 record in conference play, and will be the No. 2 seed in the tournament which starts April 25 in Kansas City.
KWU was holding onto the 14-13 advantage when Baker got the ball back at its own 11 with 1:45 left in the game. Baker drove to the KWU-8 when Wesleyan's defense kicked into high gear. Alexa Mansur was the hero for the Coyotes stopping Llorente for a 1-yard gain, then on back-to-back plays breaking up passes, including on fourth and goal at the KWU-2 to give the ball back to the Coyotes and secure the win.
Baker took a 6-0 lead in the first quarter with 2:17 left on an 11-yard play where Tara Llorente lateralled to Gabriella Zabaletta to finish the final seven yards.
The Wildcats took a 13-0 with 9:41 left in the second quarter on a 2-yard Llorente touchdown run.
The Coyotes finally got on the board as time expired in the first half. Getting the ball at their own 6 with 30 seconds left, the Coyotes went 74 yards, getting big plays as Chihiro Iwata hit Aliyah Wood for 30 yards and two plays later a 20-yarder. Iwata would find Wood for the touchdown and the PAT was good making it 13-7 at the half.
Wood made a big play on defense to start the second half intercepting a Llorente pass and setting up Wesleyan's go-ahead scoring drive. Iwata hit Wood for another 20-yard play on the drive and Iwata converted a fourth-and-goal at the Baker 2 to Ciaran DeCuir with 4:22 left in the third.
Iwata was 17 of 34 passing for 180 yards with two scores. She added 33 yards rushing in the game. Wood had seven catches for 99 yards and a score to lead the KWU receivers.
Mansur had three flag pulls and two pass breakups for the KWU defense.