Bengaluru: Kickstart FC ended their Indian Women's League season in third place following a 1-1 draw with league runners-up Sethu FC in Kolkata on Monday.

Team's top scorer Emem Essien scored her seventh goal of the season to put Kickstart ahead in the 22nd minute and remain in charge for most of the match before T Hoshika's 83rd-minute equaliser denied them a win in their season-closing match.

The opening goal came following a patient build-up that saw Babysana Devi float a well-weighted pass into the box for Essien, who controlled the ball nicely for a powerful volley into the net.

Hoshika's equaliser came from a brilliant finish from a tight angle following a long ball from the back.

Kickstart, who were battling relegation in the first phase, ended the Kolkata phase of the league unbeaten with four wins and three draws, including a memorable win over two-time champions East Bengal.

Kickstart defender Ranjana Chanu also received a national team call-up for the SAFF Women's Championships, which will be held in Goa from May 25.

In the other matches on the final day of the league, Garhwal United survived relegation by defeating already-relegated and dead-last SESA FA 3-1. Lhingdeikim, Elizabeth Danso, Shruti Kumari found the net in the crucial win.

Champions East Bengal did Garhwal a favour by defeating Bengal rivals Sreebhumi FC 2-0, relegating the latter to the IWL 2 for the next season. League's top-scorer Fazila Ikwaput found the net again in the victory to take her season's goal tally to 20.