Box Score FORT WORTH – Wayland Baptist took an opponent into extra time for the second straight match, and this time the Pioneers didn't get much out of it…except the admiration of their coach.
Three days after battling John Brown University to a 0-0 double-overtime tie, the Pioneers fell to Texas Wesleyan in a Sooner Athletic Conference overtime match here Tuesday night, 1-0.
"It wasn't due to a lack of effort. The girls played really, really hard," Wayland coach
Shiloh Posey said. "I know their legs were really tired from John Brown, and that showed a little later in the game, but there was no quit in them, no doubt about that."
Lauren Kee put in the game-winner – her second goal of the season – 8 minutes and 12 seconds into the overtime period to give the win to the Lady Rams (8-4 overall, 4-2 SAC), who essentially pulled into a tie for third place in the league standings with Wayland (4-8-2, 4-2-1).
"They played a ball diagonally from our right side. Natalie (Stahmann) battled for the ball really hard, but they hit a prayer ball into the middle of the box and it floated into the back corner of the net," Posey said of the game-winning goal. "There was nothing we could do about it."
Before the Lady Rams put in the game-winner, the Pioneers had a couple of prime scoring opportunities in OT, according to Posey. The first came when
Jodian Morris, the reigning SAC Offensive Player of the Week, got free just seconds after the kickoff.
"She was 1 v. 1, but just held the ball one touch too long and a defender was able to catch up on her," Posey said. Her shot from the top of the box narrowly missed wide right.
Less than a minute later,
Heather Terbush "had a really good header off a cross. It would have been a goal but the goalkeeper was able to fingertip-save it and hang on to it."
Wayland was outshot 25-14 overall and 9-6 on-goal. WBU keeper
Bailey Stengler saved eight shots before the Lady Rams finally got one passed her.
"Bailey played a good game," Posey said.
Morris had five of Wayland's shots and
Jessica Bell three, while Morris and
Madison Abbott recorded a pair of on-target shots apiece.
"It was an even battle all day long, a good, physical match," Posey said. "We played really well, although our execution got off a little as we got more tired. We started playing a bit of kick ball."
Despite their second straight shutout following a pair of four-goal matches, Posey mostly was happy with his team's performance, but especially their effort.
"Obviously it's a disappointing way to end the game, but I couldn't be more proud," he said.
Wayland plays its final road match of the regular-season against league-leader Oklahoma Baptist (10-4-1, 5-1-1) at 1 p.m. Saturday in Shawnee. The Lady Bison, ranked the equivalent of 28
th, battled Oklahoma City University to a 1-1 double-overtime tie Tuesday.
"We're looking forward to OBU on Saturday. It's going to be another big one," Posey said. "We'll try to rest up and take care of all of our injuries and give them the best battle that we can give them.
"The taste of defeat after three wins and a tie is kind of hard to swallow, and we definitely don't want to make it two in a row. We're going to go at it with all we've got."
The Pioneers end the regular season at home against Southwestern Christian (7-7, 2-4) at 4 p.m. Oct. 31.
