Sophomore Jastin Redman's second game-winner of the week came with exactly 10 minutes left in the match, redeeming a match of missed opportunities, and vaulted the John Brown University women's soccer team to a 1-0 win over Oklahoma Wesleyan on Friday evening at Alumni Field.
Exacting revenge after a difficult 1-0 loss at Wesleyan last season, the Golden Eagles (4-0) outshot the visitors -- who entered the 2016 season receiving votes in the NAIA Women's Soccer Coaches' Top 25 Poll -- 11-5 through the first 45 minutes, but OKWU keeper Aryza Olague needed to make just two saves as John Brown continually missed the target throughout the first half.
In the 40th minute, Redman had a fine opportunity to place the Golden Eagles ahead when she attempted her first penalty kick of the season. Olague guessed correctly, and knocked aside the shot, keeping the match scoreless.
It was Redman's first-career missed regular season penalty kick chance.
Through the first 25 minutes of the second half, the hosts had already sent four shots Olague's way, but senior keeper Kristen Morency made her best save of the match four minutes later when McKenzie Dyer's blast from the right box destined for the left side of the goal found Morency's diving hands to preserve the scoreless draw.
Finally in the 81st minute, the Golden Eagles seized control of the ball deep in OKWU territory. Junior Samantha Webber tossed a throw in toward the end line, which was then flicked on by freshman Kristen Howell into the slot. All alone and running toward the goal with speed, Redman deposited her fourth goal of the season, giving assists to Howell and Weber.
The assist was Howell's first collegiate point after missing all of 2015 due to injury.
Morency made a season-best five saves to preserve her second clean sheet of the season. Olague made four saves, taking the loss in OKWU's season opener. Wesleyan is now 0-1-0 on the year.
Armed with a perfect record, the Golden Eagles traverse to the Chicago area for the first time in four years and will face No. 20 Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) on Friday before taking on Concordia (Mich.) the following day. Both games will be played in Bourbonnais, Ill.
JBU 3, Texas A&M-Texarkana 1
TEXARKANA, Texas -- The John Brown University women's soccer team needed a pair of firsts on the season against Texas A&M-Texarkana, and sophomore Jastin Redman provided two second-half goals as John Brown dismantled the hosts, 3-1, on Tuesday at the TAMUT Soccer Field.
Just 34 seconds into the contest, Arika Elliot netted her second goal of the season, placing the Golden Eagles (3-0) into its first losing situation of the season. JBU responded by out-shooting the hosts 8-3 in the first half.
Finally in the 38th minute, freshman Katherine Haar scored her first collegiate goal to knot the score at one apiece.
Over the final 45 minutes of play, John Brown held the host Eagles to just one shot on goal, while releasing six of its own, none more important than two by Redman late in the contest.
Redman potted back-to-back goals just 13 minutes apart in the 64th and 77th minutes of play, handing the visitors the go-ahead goal and the insurance strike. Redman's second and third goals of the season also included her first game-winner and multi-goal outburst of 2016. Junior Sara Frey assisted on Redman's first tally while sophomore Anne Metz was credited with a helper on Redman's second.
Senior Kristen Morency (3-0) needed just one save in the first half to claim the victory. TAMUT's Gabrielle Flores recorded four saves, yielding three, and moved to 1-2-0 on the season.
"Although it was not the way we would love start a game," head coach Kathleen Paulsen said, "I was proud of the way our team came back. That was a fantastic team effort and I was proud of the girls for that."
Sports on 09/04/2016