SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. -- Sophomore goalkeeper Kristen Morency made two saves and junior Rachel Harris scored the game-winning shot as second-seeded John Brown (14-3-2) tied third-seeded Wayland Baptist (Texas), 2-2, before advancing in penalty kicks, 4-3, this afternoon in the Sooner Athletic Conference tournament semifinals at Alumni Field.
Both teams scored a goal in each half before a deadlock was unable to be broken in the extra session, prompting an obligatory shootout in order to advance a team to the conference championship match. The game will officially count as a tie for both programs.
Wayland Baptist (13-6-1) converted its first try as Haley Reiser scored bottom left on Morency for a 1-0 lead in the shootout. Things looks bleak after senior Laura Bradshaw was unable to score her opportunity as Pioneer keeper Keri Myers preserved the slim WBU advantage. Baptist continued to pick on Morency's left side when Zoe Benson made the tiebreaking score 2-0. Junior Casey O'Brien confidently picked the top right corner on Myers, slicing the lead in half.
Wayland continued its one-goal lead after Madison Abbott took advantage of her opportunity, placing the Golden Eagles in a dire situation. Freshman Braydi Frederick then forced the shootout to a 3-2 score with a shot that was ripped to the top right corner.
After allowing goals on the first three chances to the Pioneers, the SAC Defensive Player of the Year finally made her move, knocking away a shot to the middle right off Baptist's Cerila Zamarippa, handing JBU a chance to knot the score. Sophomore Julie Whitlow, who had already tallied during regulation, planted a shot to the lower right corner for a tie heading into the final round of the shootout.
In an unusual move, Baptist elected for its keeper, Myers, to take its fifth chance. Just after the keepers squared up to each other, Morency shuffled to her right, denying Myers and WBU the go-ahead tally. This left the match, and the season, on the shoulders of Harris.
Last season, the Golden Eagles were pitted in a similar situation. On the road at Rogers State in the tournament quarterfinals, Harris netted the game-winning goal that launched the Golden Eagles into the second round. This year was no different. Harris deposited a strong shot to the lower, right corner that fooled Myers and sent the crowd onto the field.
"We've been working on penalty kicks all week," admitted Harris. "We knew our five shooters were strong and we also knew Kristen (Morency) would come up with a save when we needed it."
Baptist out-shot the Golden Eagles in overtime, 6-5, but it was Myers that had to stay active to preserve the deadlock. With time running out in overtime, freshman Sara Lachance drew a foul on the left side of the box as time expired, prompting a quick shot from Whitlow. Myers was up to the task, collecting her sixth save of the afternoon.
John Brown opened the scoring in the sixth minute when O'Brien sent a beautiful through ball up the right flank to Frederick, who quickly struck a shot past Myers for a 1-0 lead.
The lead only lasted four minutes, however. The Pioneers tied the game in the 10th minute off a corner kick that pinballed around in the box before squirting free to the left side. WBU's Zoe Benson was all alone and fired a shot past Morency.
Baptist out-shot the hosts, 8-5, in the first half, forcing Morency to make three saves in the first stanza. Myers knocked aside one Golden Eagle attempt at the other end of the field.
The second half featured runs back and forth between both teams. Again JBU secured the advantage in the 60th minute when junior Adrienne Kennedy took a shoulder from Benson outside the box on the right flank. Whitlow would take the free kick for John Brown, striking a hard shot over the Baptist wall and past the grasp of Myers for another John Brown advantage, this time of the 2-1 variety.
Ten minutes later, a Wayland through ball would take a strange carom as Morency came out to challenge two oncoming WBU forwards. As the netminder looked to clear the ball from harm's way, it took a bounce of Whitlow looking to recover back that sailed an entire 20 yards before finding the back of the Golden Eagle net.
The visitors out-shot JBU, 21-19, and recorded nine shots towards Morency while the Golden Eagles managed eight fired at Myers. Both squads recorded six corner kicks.
O'Brien figured into the bulk of the John brown offense, sending seven shots over the course of 110 minutes while Lachance, Whitlow and Frederick each chipped in with a trio of shots.
"What an incredible game Wayland played this afternoon," said head coach Kathleen Paulsen following the match. "Our girls fight hard and grind, even when goals are hard to come by. The resolve that this team collectively displayed today is a testimony to their belief in something much bigger than wins or losses, but a resolve to fight for true victory. I couldn't be more proud."
Morency (14-3-2) earned the tie and turned aside eight Pioneer shots on goal. Myers (11-6-1) also absorbed a tie and collected six saves.
With the victory, the Golden Eagles advance to its first title match since 2010. John Brown will travel to top-seeded Oklahoma City on Friday (Nov. 15) for a 6:00 p.m. start time.
