Box Score SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. – As the Wayland Baptist women's soccer team jogged across the field for its post-game cool-down following the Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament quarterfinal against No. 19 John Brown, it was obvious the Pioneers had earned the respect of the home crowd.
"The entire stands stood and gave them a round of applause," Wayland coach
Shiloh Posey said. "Then as we were leaving the field half-a-dozen people from John Brown congratulated them on their performance."
No, the Pioneers – who competed the entire match with only 10 players – didn't win. The Golden Eagles did, 4-0.
Instead of a win, though, the Pioneers came home with something else: Respect.
"It shows the kind of effort, maturity and class our girls played with tonight," Posey said following his squad's 90-minute, one-man-down performance that resulted from a rash of injuries leaving the Pioneers severely shorthanded for their playoff against the heavily-favored Golden Eagles (17-2).
On a night when numbers didn't really matter, Posey said the Pioneers showed their true selves.
"The team we had on the field played like a full 11," he said. "In fact, I'm not sure they didn't play like 12."
On its way to winning its 12
th straight match, John Brown – which on the same field a month earlier defeated Wayland 8-0 – scored six minutes in to begin putting the wheels in motion on what everyone figured would be a blowout against eighth-seeded Wayland (4-13).
Instead, the Pioneers didn't up another goal for 53 minutes.
"It was the best game we've played all year," Posey said matter-of-factly.
The Golden Eagles added goals in the 78
th and 85
th minutes.
"None of them were cheap goals, by any means," Posey said.
Wayland was not credited with an official shot (the final shot count was 29-0 with WBU keeper recording three saves) as the Pioneers concentrated most of their effort on defense.
"We did a good job of staying patient, not overacting, pressuring the ball when we needed to…. They followed our game plan perfectly," Posey said. "The girls really played with a lot of maturity and poise."
He also felt his team also played "with enjoyment."
"They knew it would be an uphill battle, but they settled in their minds they would give everything they had. They gave every bit of effort they could tonight.
"John Brown's coach came over after the match and said, 'That's a really, really impressive team.'"
It was the fourth time in five years Wayland's season came to an end in the SAC Tournament in Siloam Springs. The Pioneers finish the season 4-13.
2017 SAC WOMEN'S SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP
Quarterfinals – Friday, Nov. 3
John Brown 4, Wayland Baptist 0
USAO 5, St. Gregory's 1
Texas Wesleyan 5, Mid-America Christian 1
Oklahoma City 3, SW Assemblies of God 1
Semifinals – Tuesday, Nov. 7
OCU at JBU
Texas Wesleyan at USAO
Final – Friday, Nov. 10
Semifinal winners, hosted by higher seeded team
