LEBANON, Tenn. -- Facing its third consecutive halftime deficit in three matches, the No. 18 John Brown University women's soccer team scored four of the game's final five goals and secured its second top-25 victory of the season by knocking off No. 16 Cumberland (Tenn.) on Monday (Sept. 4) afternoon at Lindsey Donnell Stadium.
After a first half that featured just one shot, a healthy 30-yard blast from senior Sara Frey that was stopped by CU keeper Ashley Kambeitz, the Golden Eagles (2-1-0) rebounded by out-shooting the favored Phoenix (0-2-0) by a 7-6 count in the second half, scoring early and scoring often.
Freshman Sienna Nealon's 74th minute tally not only accounted her for first collegiate goal, but stuck as the game-winner as senior Hannah Poor, playing in the field, added an insurance strike just four minutes later.
"I was super proud of our girls today," noted head coach Kathleen Paulsen. "That was a big road win and it was a collective effort. Our bench was huge for us this game and we put our chances away."
Ten substitutes made an appearance this afternoon and accounted for all four of JBU's goals.
In an incredible one-woman effort, junior Jastin Redman tallied her third of the season in the 47th minute when she took the ball up the left flank, leaving a CU defender in her wake. Despite the center back cutting to the flank to help support, Redman dribbled past her into the box as Kambeitz came out to attack. Just before Kambeitz made it to the ball, Redman slid and ripped a shot to top shelf on the near side, knotting the match at one apiece.
Just over 120 seconds later, sophomore Kathryn Haar played a ball back to sophomore Sarah Hughes deep on the left flank. Hughes one-touched a 40-yard ball to the far right post, which lofted in over an out-of-position Kambeitz to quickly turn the tide of the contest in JBU's favor.
Cumberland had an answer, however, as Emily Shires tied the game for a second time when Rebecca Holloway's pass through the JBU back line found Shires in alone with JBU goalkeeper Caitlyn Logan, who was making her second collegiate start. Shires chipped the ball past an oncoming Logan and deposited the ball into the empty net in the 66th minute.
In the 74th minute, John Brown struck for the win as Nealon's shot from just past the six-yard box deflected off a CU defender past Kambeitz after sophomore Hannah Sweaney had crossed in a ball from the right flank.
Four minutes later, JBU sealed the contest when Poor opportunistically pounced on a loose ball that snuck through Kambeitz's hands off a cross from junior Anne Metz.
Sweaney finished with a pair of assists while Logan came up with two tremendous saves after the Phoenix scored on its first shot on goal.
Logan, in the finest performance of her young career, stopped CU's Holloway in the 32nd minute on a point-blank rip from 20 yards out. That save was eclipsed by her diving rejection of Autumn Copeland's service from 22 yards out in the middle. Making a diving leap to her right, Logan maintained JBU's slim 2-1 lead in the 63rd minute.
Logan moves to 2-0-0 on the season while Kambeitz drops to 0-2-0. The Phoenix out-shot JBU by a slim 11-8 margin.
JBU returns to action on Thursday (Sept. 7) in the annual JBU Classic at 7 p.m. The Golden Eagles face a pair of top-25 teams in the NAIA Preseason Coaches' Poll, staring with Our Lady of the Lake (Texas), followed by Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) on Saturday.
The Golden Eagles' win over Cumberland was in response to the Phoenix's 2-1 win over JBU in the 2016 NAIA National Championships Opening Round, ending John Brown's season and chances of claiming its first-ever win in the national tournament in program history.
