For once, the Carroll College soccer team could call the field on which they were playing their home.

The Saints (10-5) returned to the friendly confines of Nelson Stadium Sunday after seven weeks and 11 straight games on the road, beating Westminster College 2-1.

“We’ve been dreaming about this game,” said freshman forward Abby Coburn. “We were so excited to finally play at home and in front of our fans.”

The Saints gave the 500 or so friends and family in the stadium something to cheer about. Coburn tipped in the game-winning goal in the 70th minute and Tayt Ellison scored on a penalty kick in the first half to give the Saints their fourth straight win.

Carroll remains undefeated in Frontier Conference play, moving to 4-0.

Despite the home-field advantage, it took the Saints a while to warm up. Westminster controlled the ball through the early stages of the first half and wasted little time getting a goal as Corie Walch scored in the sixth minute of play.

Westminster teammate Rachel Watson burned the defense on the left side of the field and, as she entered inside the penalty box, ditched it right to Walch.

She had an open shot on net and was able to sink the ball past Carroll goalie Katie Beall.

“It was mostly just a communication breakdown,” said Saints head coach Dave Thorvilson. “The defender got beat and instead of falling into the central defensive position was chasing the ball.

“It was something we fixed during the half.”

The Saints got a break shortly after substituting in their lead scorer, Meghan O’Connell. The aggressive freshman forward worked the ball in Westminster’s penalty box and was eventually tripped up by a defender.

The play resulted in a penalty kick and Ellison kicked a soft roller to the right side of the net, tying up the game in the 31st minute.

The game began to go Carroll’s way as the defense and midfield play clicked, especially after the half.

“We just came out, we knew we had to win the game,” said junior defender Katie Martin. “We knew that if we didn’t put it together we were going to lose this game.”

With constant pressure on Westminster’s goal, the Saints finally broke through when Caitlin Davis looked up from midfield and saw Coburn running toward the goal.

Davis’ pass looped over the defense and rolled down the extended foot of Coburn as she nearly collided with a defender and Westminster goalie Dayna Winter-Nolte.

“(Davis) just played a great ball in, found the gap and the goalkeeper came out a little too much and I hit it in,” Coburn said. “I was in the perfect place at the right time.”

Thorvilson said that while it wasn’t a set play, the goal represented what they Saints have been practicing all week.

“I’ve been telling the girls all week, ‘if you don’t know what to do with the ball, put it into the mix.’ You never know what’s going to happen,” the coach said.

The Griffins argued for an offside call on the play, but their pleas weren’t enough to raise a flag.

The Saints finished with 10 shots on goal to Westminster’s six. They weren’t, however, able to convert on their 10 corner kicks.

Beall, a junior, finished with four saves to Winter-Nolte’s three.

Carroll plays their last two games of the regular season at home. They host Rocky Mountain College Sunday at noon.

“Playing at home we have so many traditions, the way we walk out, the music we listen to,” Martin said.

The biggest thing she missed: the fans.

“Absolutely the fans were awesome today. Hearing them cheer for us, yelling our names and cheering when we score a goal, it is so helpful,” she said.

Notes: Ellison attempted a second penalty kick in the second half, but her identical shot was stopped by Winter-Nolte ... Westminster was called for offside once while Carroll was not all game ... The Saints finished with 16 fouls to 11 of Westminster’s.

Westminster 1 0 — 1

Carroll 1 1 — 2

W — Corie Walch (Rachel Watson), 5:09

CC — Tayt Ellison (penalty kick), 31:00

CC — Abby Coburn (Caitlin Davis) 70:30

Shots: Westminster 6, Carroll 10

SOG: Westminster 5, Carroll 5

Saves: Winter-Nolte 3, Beall 4

Assistant Sports Editor Jeff Windmueller: 447-4065 or jeff.

windmueller@helenair.com.