WINNIPEG — A moment of elation for the Lethbridge Pronghorns was a flash of gut-wrenching shock for the Winnipeg Wesmen.

Raeleen Vanden Dungen converted a penalty from the spot in the 88th minute to help the Pronghorns earn a 1-1 draw with the Wesmen Friday and, in so doing, officially knocked the host team out of the post-season with one match to play. The draw for the 'Horns, combined with a Mount Royal loss at Manitoba, was enough to secure the six seed for Lethbridge (1-5-7). 

The Wesmen came into the final weekend of conference play needing two victories and two Lethbridge losses in order to crack the top six of the Pacific Division and qualify for the post-season. And they were less than two minutes away from taking the first step to doing that.

Vanden Dungen was sent down the right side with Wesmen defender Katia Occhino on her hip. Occhino made contact with Vanden Dungen outside the 18 but her momentum took her into the box and referee Alex Castro called for a penalty from the spot. Vanden Dungen stepped up and narrowly beat Wesmen keeper Taryn Raabe with a strike to the bottom right corner to pull the match even.

Winnipeg's goal also came via last-minute heroics. Fourth-year forward Jamila Calvez headed in a Tia Lecox corner in the waning seconds of the first half to give the Wesmen the advantage after 45 minutes. It was Calvez's first goal of the conference season and the freshman Lecox's first career assist. 

"I think Winnipeg was playing well, they were playing where they needed to play across the back line keeping us honest and, to be truthful, we got a bit lucky," Lethbridge head coach Ilsa Wong said. "We were pressing but (the foul) just happened to be in the box. 

"We were trying to (generate chances). We had a decent amount of possession. I didn't think we were playing as disciplined as we have been and that really hurt us. I didn't think our chances were as good as Winnipeg's ... We're taking it and we're heading to the hotel and getting ready for (Saturday)."

The Wesmen (1-11-1) might have been pleased with a point in other scenarios, but head coach Amy Anderson could only strike a lamentable tone in assessing a result that nevertheless felt like a loss.

"We had it and it just sort of slipped out of our hands," Anderson said. "Credit to our players for really playing well today.

"It's just unfortunate that we had it. We feel like we lost. It's a tie, it's a point in the regular season but it's kinda too late, right? You want to win at the right times."

Raabe, who last week cracked the top 10 in Canada West history for saves in a season, made six more and now has 108 on the season. She is nine shy of tying the Wesmen program record.

Hanna Quinn made three saves in the Lethbridge goal. 

The Wesmen will close out the season against Mount Royal Saturday night while the Pronghorns face Manitoba.