SILOAM SPRINGS -- A pair of first-half breakaway goals from Julia Lambert was more than enough for the Golden Eagles, as the freshman added a third in the second half and the No. 9 John Brown University women's soccer team ran away with a 5-0 win over eighth-seeded Southwestern Christian (Okla.) on Saturday (Nov. 4) afternoon at Alumni Field in the Sooner Athletic tournament quarterfinals.
Senior Giftee Pavatt also scored a second-half brace as the Golden Eagles improved to 15-2-1 and out-shot the visiting Eagles by a 20-2 margin, including a 14-0 advantage through the first 45 minutes of action.
Less than three minutes apart in the 15th and 18th minutes, Lambert scored in one-on-one situations with SCU keeper Celeste Lucio. The game-winner came off a visitor turnover in the midfield, allowing sophomore Olivia Fish to initiate the counter-attack and play a perfect ball through the Eagle back line to Lambert.
The second Lambert strike just 2:54 later, also a result of an SCU turnover, resulted in Lambert pushing the ball up field before playing to Walter and making a run. Walter expertly one-touched the pass back to Lambert through the back line, allowing the freshman striker to unload a 15-yard strike to the near right post and doubling the John Brown lead.
After the intermission, the Golden Eagles continued the scoring onslaught just 2:15 into the second half when Pavatt one-touched a Walter cross from the left flank past Lucio for a 3-0 lead. Just six minutes later, sophomore Aubrey Winter collected her second assist by flicking a pass from the left flank to Pavatt at the back post, who headed in her fourth of the season, tucking the redirect just inside the right pocket of goal.
Lambert capped off her three-goal performance in the 59th minute off a beautiful throw-in from junior Grace Bishop on the left sideline. The long throw bounced through the box where Lambert collected possession, curled between a pair of Eagle defenders and struck a shot back to the left side of goal after turning toward Lucio unguarded for her eighth goal of the year.
Both Walter and Winter finished the afternoon with a pair of assists.
Senior Emily Dobbins was called upon to make one save in the second half as she improved to 8-0-1 on the season while collecting her eighth clean sheet. Lucio was dinged with the loss for Southwestern Christian as she made six saves on 11 opportunities.
John Brown will now advance to the semifinal round where the Golden Eagles will welcome back fourth-seeded Mid-America Christian (Okla.) to Alumni Field for the second time this season. The squads drew 0-0 in the regular season as John Brown eyes its fourth-consecutive appearance in the SAC tournament finals. The match is slated to kick off at 5 p.m. and will air live on the SAC Sports Network.
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