John Brown sophomore Sienna Nealon was in the right place at the right time in a landmark victory Saturday for the Golden Eagles' women's soccer team.
Nealon scored off a deflected shot attempt in the 54th minute for the match's only goal in a 1-0 victory over Kansas Wesleyan in the opening round of the NAIA Women's Soccer National Tournament in front of more than 750 people at Alumni Field.
NAIA Women’s Soccer Championship
Saturday’s games
Game 1 — No. 1 Spring Arbor (Mich.) 2, Asbury (Ky.) 0
Game 2 — No. 2 William Carey (Miss.) 6, Missouri Baptist 2
Game 3 — No. 3 Martin Methodist (Tenn.) 9, LSU Shreveport (La.) 1
Game 4 — No. 4 Keiser (Fla.) 4, Tennessee Wesleyan 0
Game 5 — Northwest (Wash.) 1, No. 5 Vanguard (Calif.) 0
Game 6 — No. 6 Southeastern (Fla.) 4, Truett McConnell (Ca.) 0
Game 7 — No. 7 Georgia Gwinnett 3, Columbia (Mo.) 0
Game 8 — No. 8 Benedictine (Kan.) 3, Ottawa (Kan.) 0
Game 9 — No. 9 Embry Riddle (Ariz.) 3, Hope International (Calif.) 2 (OT)
Game 10 – No. 10 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 2, Aquinas (Mich.) 0
Game 11 — No. 11 John Brown 1, Kansas Wesleyan 0
Game 12 — Cardinal Stritch (Wis.) 2, No. 12 Northwestern Ohio 1
Game 13 — No. 13 Hastings (Neb.) 1, Central Methodist (Mo.) 0
Game 14 — Midland (Neb.) 1, No. 14 Science & Arts (Okla.) 0
Game 15 — Eastern Oregon 2, No. 15 Grace (Ind.) 1
at Orange Beach, Ala.
Monday, Nov. 26
Second Round
Game 16 — No. 1 Spring Arbor (Mich.) vs. Mobile (Ala.), 6:30 p.m.
Game 17 — No. 8 Benedictine (Kan.) vs. No. 9 Embry Riddle (Ariz.), 4 p.m.
Game 18 — Northwest (Wash.) vs. Cardinal Stritch (Wis.), 1:30 p.m.
Game 19 — No. 4 Keiser (Fla.) vs. No. 13 Hastings (Neb.), 11 a.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 27
Second Round
Game 20 — No. 2 William Carey (Miss.) vs. Eastern Oregon, 11 a.m.
Game 21 — Georgia Gwinnett vs. No. 10 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.), 1:30 p.m.
Game 22 — No. 6 Southeastern (Fla.) vs. No. 11 John Brown, 6:30 p.m.
Game 23 — No. 3 Martin Methodist (Tenn.) vs. Midland (Neb.), 4 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 28
Quarterfinals
Game 24 — Game 16 winner vs. Game 17 winner, 1:30 p.m.
Game 25 — Game 18 winner vs. Game 19 winner, 11 a.m.
Game 26 — Game 20 winner vs. Game 21 winner, 4 p.m.
Game 27 — Game 22 winner vs. Game 23 winner, 6:30 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 30
Semifinals
Game 28 — Game 24 winner vs. Game 25 winner, noon
Game 29 — Game 26 winner vs. Game 27 winner, 3 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 1
Championship
Game 30 — Game 28 winner vs. Game 29 winner, 6 p.m.
It was John Brown's first national tournament victory in the history of the program after previous attempts in 2005, 2010, 2013 and 2016 all ended in a first-round loss.
Nealon's goal came after sophomore Paige Kula's free kick found the head of junior Kristen Howell, whose header was deflected by Kansas Wesleyan goalkeeper Daisy Bingham's diving save.
The rebound, however, went right to Nealon, who crashed in on the play and scored with 36 minutes, 35 seconds left in the second half.
"Honestly, I just start running and move toward where the ball goes," said Nealon, who scored her eighth goal of the season and fourth game-winner. "I saw that it was coming across and I was just ready for it."
The free kick that started the play was awarded to the Golden Eagles because Jastin Marulaunda was fouled trying to win a ball in the air.
The result of it all, including Nealon's goal was a familiar sight for John Brown and its opponents this season.
Kansas Wesleyan coach Kat Benton said she's seen John Brown score goals like that on film this season.
"That's a classic John Brown goal," Benton said. "Really well-executed and in a game like this at the national tournament, unfortunately it's about managing your mistakes. We made one mistake and we got punished, and that's what quality teams do."
John Brown head coach Kathleen Paulsen agreed.
"I think those are the goals we've been scoring all year," Paulsen said. "I think Sie has been putting those goals in. It's just a gritty followup -- right place, right time."
John Brown finished with 13 shots, including five on goal, while the Coyotes were limited to nine shots and just two on frame, which were both saved by JBU sophomore keeper Caitlyn Logan.
Logan recorded her 12th shutout of the season and improved to 15-4-1 in goal for the season.
The loss snapped a 16-game unbeaten streak for Kansas Wesleyan (17-3-2).
"For us it was a good back and forth," Benton said. "(JBU) is a very athletic, very big team in the air. So it was a struggle for us to get into it. Once we got into it, it was quite the battle. For us we had to bring our very best, we came up short but I'm proud of the way our women played tonight."
Paulsen also thought her team played well.
"I think we had a game plan and I think we executed," she said. "That's all you can hope for as a coach is that you come up with the right game plan. Then if you do, then you execute and do it right."
Paulsen gave credit to the players for being the first group to win a national tournament game in program history.
"Ultimately it's them," Paulsen said. "They make the choices day in and day out to come out and work hard. They're trying to do it the right way, which is what I appreciate the most about this group. They want to honor God and give their best. They're a testament to that."
John Brown now advances to the Round of 16, which will be hosted by Mobile (Ala.) and played in Orange Park, Ala.
The Round of 16 is Nov. 26-27, followed by the quarterfinals on Nov. 28, semifinals Nov. 30 and national championship game on Dec. 1.
JBU will face the Southeastern (Fla.) Fire at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 27 in the Round of 16. Southeastern and JBU have already played once this season with No. 6 Southeastern coming away with a 3-1 win at Alumni Field on Sept. 1.
JBU led that match 1-0 before Fire forward Uchenna Kanu, a Nigerian U-20 national team member, recorded a hat trick for Southeastern.
Southeastern (18-1-2) defeated Truett McConnell 4-0 in another opening round game on Saturday, led by two more goals from Kanu, who leads the nation with 52 goals on the season.
"At this point, you're living with the top 16 in the nation, so whoever you get is going to be quality," Paulsen said.
The Orange Park setting is also familiar to JBU. The Golden Eagles defeated then No. 12 Mobile, 3-2, and No. 2 William Carey (Miss.), 2-1, in overtime in Orange Beach on Sept. 6 and Sept. 8, respectively.
"We also have good memories down there," Paulsen said. "We went down there earlier this season and we're excited to go back."
Sports on 11/21/2018