Conference tourneys start this weekend for Pioneer women, league champion men

Both Wayland Baptist soccer teams will be going against teams they defeated during the regular season when the Sooner Athletic Conference men's and women's tournaments get under way this weekend.
 
On the women's side, the Pioneers (9-6-1) travel to Chickasha, Okla., to take on defending SAC Tournament champion University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma (13-4-1), ranked the equivalent of 34^th in the NAIA. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.
 
Wayland is seeded sixth while USAO is the No. 3 seed.
 
The contest is a rematch of the team's Oct. 23 meeting in Plainview on Senior Day that saw the Pioneers defeat the then 16^th-ranked Drovers, 1-0. WBU's leading scorer, Taylor Moore, scored the lone goal in the 58^th minute on a tough-angle shot from 25 yards out. Wayland goalkeeper Kaitlyn Brantzeg logged eight saves and was named SAC Defensive Player of the Week.
 
The win was one of the biggest in Wayland program history over the highest-ranked opponent the Pioneers have ever defeated.
 
USAO is led by the conference's second-leading scorer, Emma Rice with 19 goals. Rice also has six assists, which ties her for fourth in the league. Moore's 11 goals are tied for third.
 
Wayland is 3-4-1 (including one forfeit win) all-time in the post-season, having advanced to the second round of the conference tournament in 2013 and 2015. Against USAO, Wayland is 4-14 all-time.
 
The winner will get the winner between second-seeded Oklahoma City (10-2-2) and sixth-seeded Mid-America Christian (6-9), which meet at 2 p.m. Friday at OCU. Ranked the equivalent of 31^st, the Stars earned a share of the SAC title with 21^st-ranked Texas Wesleyan (12-3-1), which hosts No. 8 seed Southwestern Christian (8-8-1). The winner of that match plays either No. 4 seed John Brown (12-3-1) or No. 5 seed Central Christian (11-7).
 
Semifinal games will be played at the site of the higher-seeded team on Monday, Nov. 5. The championship will be Thursday, Nov. 8 at the higher seed.
 
The tournament champion advances to the NAIA Championships. The NAIA Championship Opening Round will be at campus sites around the nation Nov. 17, while the NAIA Championships are set for Nov. 26-Dec. 1 in Orange Beach, Ala.
 
The men's tournament sees matches played a day later than the women, thus top-seeded, 13^th-ranked Wayland will host Southwestern Assemblies of God University on Saturday beginning at 2 p.m. at Hilliard Field.
 
Admission is free.
 
Wayland (12-3) won its third-straight SAC regular-season title after finishing 7-2 in the conference. The Pioneers and Oklahoma City would have shared the crown, but the Stars lost their final match Tuesday to Southwestern Christian, 2-1 in overtime.
 
The defending national champion Pioneers will be aiming for a third straight SAC Tournament title. Wayland defeated SAGU, 2-0, when the teams met Oct. 2 in Plainview for one of the team's 10 shutouts. Wayland is 6-2 all-time against the Lions.
 
The WBU-SAGU winner advances to the semifinals on Tuesday, Nov. 6 to play either fourth-seeded OCU (11-4) or fifth-seeded Mid-America Christian (10-5), who square off at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at OCU.
 
In the other half of the bracket, second-seeded USAO (12-3-2), ranked No. 21 in the NAIA, hosts seventh-seeded Texas Wesleyan (7-8-1), and third-seeded Southwestern Christian (14-3-1) entertains sixth-seeded John Brown (8-7-1).
 
The tournament champion, to be determined Friday, Nov. 9 at the site of the highest-remaining seed, collects an NAIA Championship bid. The NAIA Championship Opening Round takes place on campus sites around the nation Nov. 17, while the NAIA Championships happen Nov. 26-Dec. 1 in Irvine, Calif.
 
Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament
MEN
At campus sites
Saturday, Nov. 3
Quarterfinals
No. 8 Southwestern Assemblies of God (6-11-1) at No. 1 Wayland Baptist (12-3), 2 p.m.
No. 5 Mid-America Christian (10-5) at No. 4 Oklahoma City (11-4), 2:30 p.m.
No. 6 John Brown (8-7-1) at No. 3 Southwestern Christian (14-3-1), 3 p.m.
No. 7 Texas Wesleyan (7-8-1) at No. 2 USAO (12-3-2), 7 p.m.
At highest remaining seed
Tuesday, Nov. 6
Semifinals
MACU-OCU winner vs. SAGU-WBU winner
JBU-SCU winner vs. TXWES-USAO winner
Friday, Nov. 9
Championship
Semifinal winners
 
WOMEN
At campus sites
Friday, Nov. 2
Quarterfinals
No. 7 Mid-America Christian (6-9) at No. 2 Oklahoma City (10-2-2), 2 p.m.
No. 5 Central Christian (11-7) at No. 4 John Brown (12-3-1), 6 p.m.
No. 8 Southwestern Christian (8-8-1) at No. 1 Texas Wesleyan (12-3-1), 7 p.m.
No. 6 Wayland Baptist (9-6-1) at No. 3 USAO (13-4-1), 7 p.m.
At highest remaining seed
Monday, Nov. 5
Semifinals
CCCK-JBU winner vs. SCU-TXWES winner
WBU-USAO winner vs. MACU-OCU winner
Thursday, Nov. 8
Championship
Semifinal winners