Box Score SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. – For the second-straight year the Wayland Baptist women's soccer team made the long trek to Siloam Springs, Ark. in hopes of moving one round further in the Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament. The Pioneers were hoping to change their fortunes after dropping a heartbreaking shootout in 2013, but John Brown eliminated Wayland with a 3-0 win Friday at Alumni Field.
Wayland (5-10-2) played 110 minutes of solid defense in their first match with the Golden Eagles this year, working a 0-0 tie on Oct. 18, but John Brown (10-4-3) was able to break the Pioneers' defense Friday, scoring three goals to advance to the semifinals.
John Brown's first goal came 10 minutes into the match off a nice corner kick. Madi Susmilch played the ball to Sara Frey who headed the ball to Samantha Weber. Weber finished the job, scoring in front of the net to give JBU a 1-0 advantage.
For the Eagle's second goal, Casey O'Brian passed over Wayland's defensive line where Brandi Frederick controlled the ball and shot past WBU keeper
Bailey Stengler. Frederick's sixth goal of the year gave JBU a 2-0 lead.
Down two goals to none, head coach
Shiloh Posey knew that they weren't out of the game and tried to get the Pioneers going during halftime.
"I thought we were off track a little in the first half and couldn't get moving like I thought we should," Posey said. "The eight hour bus drive isn't an excuse for us, but I think that it was a possible factor in the way we played.
"With all that being said, we all still thought we were still in it at halftime. We had a pretty good talk during the break, and the girls came out in second half and played much more aggressive and gave themselves several good opportunities."
In the second half, the Pioneers took five shots, but still struggled to find the net. Kristen Morency, John Brown's keeper, and the rest of the Golden Eagles defense stood strong to hold their lead and shut the Pioneers out.
With less than eight minutes left, O'Brian hooked up with Frederick once more to give John Brown a 3-0 lead, icing the match in the process.
"The girls played hard today," Posey said. "We did better with our chances in the second half, but we just weren't able to come back. The height difference between us was a factor today that really helped them out, and their keeper played a really nice game. She came out to get a few balls that we played and took away some possible goals."
The loss closes the book on what proved to be a season of two halves for the Pioneers. In the first half, or nonconference, part of the season, Wayland was winless in six matches, but once conference hit the Pioneers turned the corner. In the second half of the season, WBU went 5-3-1 to earn a more than respectable fifth-seed in the SAC Tournament.
"It's always a tough to end the season on a loss, but only the champs are smiling on the last day," Posey said. "The girls played hard all season long and I told them that I'd never choose any other team than this one because of their effort and attitude throughout the season.
"I couldn't ask for more than what they gave me today, they have nothing to hang their heads about. They played a tough game and I couldn't be more proud of them."
