Women's soccer wins on Senior Night, secures home match

Box Score Saturday evening at J.V. Hilliard Field was dedicated to honoring the eight senior members of the Wayland Baptist women's soccer team. That the dedication came on the heels of a 4-0 victory over Southwestern Christian University in the final regular-season match made it an even more joyous celebration.
 
Tori Nimtz, Melanie Panko, Cerila Zamarripa, Annysa Plata, Jodian Morris, Jessica Bell and Whitney Phillips were sent off in the best way possible as the Pioneers locked down a first-round home match in the Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament.
 
The Pioneers (6-6-3, 5-2-2 SAC) scored all four of their goals within nine minutes of each other. Even more impressive was that two of the seniors, Plata and Morris, scored two goals apiece.
 
Morris kicked off the show with a strike for her 14^th goal in the 42nd-minute, assisted by Nimtz. A little over a minute later, Plata scored her second goal of the season.
 
Shortly after halftime, Morris scored her team-leading 15^th goal in the 46^th minute after beating a defender and dribbling past the Lady Eagles goalkeeper. Lastly, Plata took a shot after a deflected cross in the 51^st-minute for her third goal of the season.
 
Wayland outshot the Eagles (8-9-1, 2-7-0), 17-6 with Morris getting off eight shots and Plata two.
 
With the win, the Pioneers have secured the No. 4 seed in the SAC Tournament and will host the No. 5 seed Mid-America Christian Evangels next weekend at a time to be determined. The Evangels (5-3-1, 8-7-1) tied with the Pioneers earlier in the season, 1-1.