WAXAHACHIE, Texas -- Freshman Julia Lambert had a hand in each goal, finishing the afternoon with a goal and a pair of helpers, powering the No. 9 John Brown University women's soccer team to a 3-0 win over Southwestern A.G. (Texas) on Saturday (Oct. 28) afternoon at the Lions Athletic Complex, solidifying the squad's first seed in next week's Sooner Athletic tournament.
The Golden Eagles (14-2-1, 8-0-1 Sooner Athletic) actually entered the contest as SAC regular season champions after Oklahoma City fell 1-0 to Mid-America Christian (Okla.) the night before, cementing the program's seventh-ever regular season crown, joining the 2021, 2020, 2017, 2016, 2009 and 2007 teams, and the fifth under head coach Dr. Kathleen Paulsen.
Congratulations to #goJBU WSOC on capturing its seventh Sooner Athletic Conference regular season title in program history!!
Posted by John Brown University Athletics on Saturday, October 28, 2023
John Brown doubled the Lions up in shot attempts, 16-8, and largely kept the SAC's leading scorer, Anna Bewley at bay, allowing her just one shot on goal, which senior Emily Dobbins saved to collect her seventh clean sheet of the season, moving her to 7-0-1 in 2023.
Lambert's game-winner came in the 37th minute off a feed from junior Elise Bosma for Lambert's fifth goal of her freshman campaign. The goal was the only scoring of the first half in which the visitors held a narrow 8-6 shooting advantage. The strike was Lambert's first-career game-winning goal.
While the Golden Eagles largely held a massive possession advantage and a widening 8-2 shooting advantage, the one-goal margin would hold until late in the contest, when senior Lauren Walter and Bosma scored goals just 1:47 apart in the 87th and 89th minutes, respectively.
Lambert recorded the primary assist on both insurance tallies.
SAGU goalkeeper Zoe Boldt made nine saves in the losing effort for the Lions. Paula Moreno Gomez and Alejandra Ruiz were the only other two Lions to attempt a shot in the contest, both finishing off target.
Having wrapped up its third regular season championship in four season, the Golden Eagles will now turn to the postseason, where its tournament title defense begins. The three-time defending champs will open the SAC tournament with a matchup with the eight seed, Southwestern Christian (Okla.), on Saturday (Nov. 4) afternoon at Alumni Field, as JBU owns home pitch advantage throughout the tournament. Kick-off is slated for 2 p.m. and will be aired live on the SAC Sports Network.
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