John Brown Univeristy's women's soccer team dominated the match, but lost on the final shot.
The No. 17 Golden Eagles were defeated 2-1 in double overtime by Science and Arts (Okla.) in the Sooner Athletic Conference Championship at Alumni Field on Friday.
Lindsey Daughtery connected on a free kick from about 40 yards out in the second overtime to give the second-seeded Drovers (17-3-1) the upset despite being outshot 18-3 by top-seeded JBU. Daughtery's kick lofted over the outstretched arms of Golden Eagles' keeper Maggie Allen just 48 seconds into the second overtime.
"Lindsey has such a good strike on her," said USAO coach Jimmy Hampton. "That's probably her ninth or 10th goal from way out like that because she's got so much range. At the end of the day, they look easy. But they're hard balls for goal keepers, even very talented goal keepers like (Allen), because they are difficult to defend."
The win gave the Drovers an automatic berth into next weekend's NAIA National Championship, while the regular season SAC champion Golden Eagles will learn if they received an at-large bid at 11 a.m. on Monday.
It was the top-seeded Golden Eagles' fifth consecutive appearance in the conference tournament title game and fourth straight season they've hooked up against the Drovers. The teams have split those past four meetings, so Friday's match served as a rubber match of sorts.
"Welcome to soccer; it'll break your heart sometimes," said JBU coach Kathleen Paulson. "It was a well-struck ball and, to their credit, they put it on the frame and that's half the battle. That always gives it a chance to go in.
"But I'm proud of this team, proud of this group of girls and these seniors, too. They're studs, even in how they handle themselves after a big disappointment like this."
The Drovers struck first 98 seconds into the regulation when Allie Gordon broke free on a fast break to score off a pass from Daughtery. Gordon, who scored her 13th goal of the season, exited the game shortly after with a leg injury and was only able to return for a few minutes during the first overtime.
JBU answered when Sara Frey scored from 30 yards out off of an assist from Katherine Haar with 23:31 remaining in the half. Frey, senior, split a pair of defenders before hitting a high shot over keeper Brandi Hutchison's head and into the back of the net. It was Frey's ninth goal of the season.
JBU 3, Oklahoma City 0
Junior Anna Brown scored early in the contest and goals from junior Jastin Redman and freshman Sienna Nealon in the second half placed the match out of reach as the top-seeded and No. 17 John Brown University women's soccer team ended fifth-seeded Oklahoma City's season with a 3-0 victory in the Sooner Athletic Conference tournament semifinals on Tuesday at Alumni Field. Redman netted her 14th of the season in the 48th minute, the game's insurance marker, and assisted on Brown's game-winner in the 11th minute. OCU struggled to create any offense, and when it could in the second half, freshman keeper Maggie Allen was up to the task, making a lone save in the final frame.
Sports on 11/12/2017