In a match-up of two top five ranked teams, the Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes, ranked No. 4 in the NAIA dropped a thriller with the No. 2 ranked Ottawa Braves 27-21 on Saturday at the Graves Family Sports Complex.
 
Ottawa scored on its first two drives of the game to take a 14-0 lead with 1:13 left in the first quarter.
 
The Coyotes finally got on the board with 17 seconds left in the first half. Chihiro Iwata found Yui Watanabe for a 9-yard scoring play.
 
The Coyotes evened things up in the third quarter, scoring on the opening drive of the half. Iwata found Watanabe again for the 1-yard catch and the Coyotes went for two and converted to tie things at 14.
 
Ottawa scored on the next drive to take a 21-14 lead with 3:02 left in the third.
 
The Coyotes faced a fourth down on the next drive and it appeared that Iwata had found Jazmine Whitfield on an amazing catch along the sideline for a first down, but officials ruled she did not control the ball through the catch.
 
Ottawa would score on its next drive to take a 27-14 lead.
 
The Coyotes would score with 2:01 left in the game on a 7-yard pass from Iwata to Aaliyah Young and the PAT would make it 27-21.
 
Ottawa was able to get a first down and run out the clock.
 
KWU outgained Ottawa 258 to 232 in the game. Iwata was 37 of 57 for 228 yards and three touchdowns. She also ran five times for 30 yards. Whitfield had 13 catches for 91 yards. Aliyah Wood had 10 catches for 53 yards.
 
Khylie Douglas and Wood had six flag pulls each for the Coyotes. Douglas and Laura Hernandez Sanchez had sacks.
 
KWU hosts Graceland on Wednesday for senior day at 6 p.m. at Graves Family Sports Complex.