SILOAM SPRINGS -- Senior Sienna Nealon scored a natural hat trick, and the No. 14 John Brown University women's soccer team rode a 5-0 victory over Texas Wesleyan to the 2020 Sooner Athletic regular season title on Saturday (March 27) afternoon at Alumni Field.
A Texas Wesleyan own goal and freshman Lauren Walter's seventh of the season in the second half cemented the lopsided affair that featured a 30-3 shooting advantage for the hosts.
The victory cements the Golden Eagles (9-0-0, 9-0-0 Sooner Athletic) with the top seed in next week's league tournament, slated to begin on Thursday (April 1). It also capped off the program's third regular season title under head coach Dr. Kathleen Paulsen (2016, 17) and the fourth time in program history that the Golden Eagles have emerged from the SAC regular season gauntlet unscathed and with a perfect record (2007, 16, 17).
A flurry in the box and junior Megan Hutto's shot on goal found the hand of a Ram defender standing on the goal line, awarding the hosts the automatic penalty kick in the 8th minute. Nealon stepped up and converted her second of three attempts this season from the line and began what would be an impressive individual effort in the first half.
Nealon scored her seventh of the season just eight minutes later, using a brilliant feed from freshman Ryan Winingham before ripping a 16-yard blast past TXWES keeper Reyna Ramirez to double the Golden Eagle lead. Four minutes later, it grew even more.
Sophomore Aubrey Mendez began the play in the midfield and Hutto sent a through ball that sprung Nealon loose into a one-on-one matchup with Ramirez, which Nealon patiently won. The senior calmly sent a strike underneath Ramirez as she came to challenge – opening up a 3-0 lead just 19 minutes into the match.
After a 20-1 shooting advantage in the first half, Nealon wasn't done. Her service from the right flank, destined for senior Audrey Balafas' head, was interrupted by the Rams defense, but the service deflected past Ramirez to balloon the Golden Eagle lead to four in the 59th minute.
The scoring came to a close in the 78th when freshman Gifte Pavatt caused all kinds of trouble for the TXWES midfield and forced a turnover before playing out wide to Walter. Walter then danced through the Ram back line and was soon in a one-on-one with Ramirez. The native of Colorado let a shot go to the left of the keeper – leaving her no chance – for the seventh goal of Walter's freshman season.
The John Brown midfield and back line kept the shots on goal margin to 17-0 in the contest.
The Golden Eagles will await the pairings for the tournament, which will be released by Wednesday (March 31) morning after the final league matches are played on Tuesday. JBU is guaranteed to play at Alumni Field as long as it remains alive in the tournament.
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