Sophomore Aspen Robinson converted a penalty kick with 13 minutes remaining and freshman Katherine Haar capped off an individual effort with 41 ticks left in the match, powering the John Brown University women's soccer team to a 2-0 win over Ouachita Baptist on Saturday afternoon at Alumni Field.
Robinson's goal, her fifth of the season, came in a back-and-forth affair that saw the Golden Eagles (5-1-1) out-shoot OBU by a 27-14 tally. Despite the lopsided shot margin, neither team had a tremendous scoring chance until sophomore Jastin Redman's header in the 73rd minute found the crossbar after beating Baptist keeper Erin Webster.
Not 28 seconds prior to Robinson's second game-winner of the season, OBU's Dina Harper sent what at first appeared to be a harmless corner kick that seemed to be destined past the goal line, outside the JBU goal. The ball took an odd bounce, however, and ricocheted directed back into the goalmouth where Kamryn Martin unleashed a shot while JBU senior keeper Kristen Morency was out of bounds.
Luckily Redman, centered between the posts, rejected the shot, maintaining the shutout bid.
The Golden Eagles almost took a 2-0 lead late when freshman Kristen Howell's laser beam bested Webster, but again caught crossbar, keeping the match at a one-goal difference.
Finally in the 90th minute, Haar stripped an OBU midfielder of the ball, turned and carried a dribble until unleashing a shot to the far left post from 10 yards out, cementing the score.
"I was proud of the girls because I think we learned from our last game," said head coach Kathleen Paulsen. "We didn't make some of the same mistakes we did when we were up 1-0 last game, and I was excited to see that growth."
Morency finished the match with six saves, collecting her third shutout of the season. Webster tallied five saves, absorbing her fourth loss of the year.
The Golden Eagles return to action on Friday at Alumni Field against Bethel (Tenn.) in a 5 p.m. kickoff.
Sports on 09/21/2016