OKLAHOMA CITY –
Estefany Gonzalez scored just over six minutes into overtime to give Wayland Baptist a 1-0 Sooner Athletic Conference victory over Mid-America Christian here Saturday afternoon.
"We had a bit of a rough start, but the girls continued to work hard and it paid off in a victory," Wayland coach
Shiloh Posey said.
The win in Wayland's first overtime of the season leaves the Pioneers (7-2-1, 2-0 SAC) atop the conference standings. It was Wayland's fourth straight victory, the first time that's happened since 2011. WBU, which won four games all of last season, has never won five in a row.
Against MACU (3-5, 0-2), the Pioneers found themselves down 1-0 after the Evangels' Brittney Stephens scored just 6:06 into the match.
"We gave away a long ball over our back line and the MACU player was able to beat our keeper to the ball and scored," Posey said. "We started a bit slow and had trouble possessing the ball."
But a break for an injured player allowed the Pioneers to come together.
"About 20 minutes in there was an injury which gave us a chance to regroup," Posey said. "After that break we were able to get things moving and scored before halftime."
The equalizer by
Taylor Moore – her team-leading fifth goal of the year – came 12 minutes before intermission.
Moore had another excellent opportunity when she found herself one v. one with the MACU keeper, but her shot sailed over the crossbar.
Posey said the scoreless second half saw both teams have a number of opportunities. With about 14 minutes left, Posey said WBU keeper
Jennette Guia "made a great save to her right side to keep us tied."
That was huge as it allowed the Pioneers to get to overtime, where with 3:53 remaining Wayland freshman
Alyssa Ruffin provided the set-up to Gonzalez's game-winner.
"Alyssa played a great ball through MACU's back line, and Estefany ran into the ball and hit a shot into the upper part of the goal, just inside the back post to end the game," Posey said.
It was the second goal of the season for Gonzalez, a junior transfer from Henderson, Nev.
Wayland outshot MACU 14-5 overall and 6-2 on-goal. Moore fired six shots and
Megan Attenborough four, and Gonzalez, Moore and Attenborough all had two shots on-goal.
The Pioneers are back home to take on Southwestern Assemblies of God (5-4-1, 0-1) at 4 p.m. Tuesday. The Lions hosted Southwestern Christian on Saturday. That match went to overtime tied 1-1.
"We have a quick turn-around with a game on Tuesday, but we will give our best effort and come prepared," Posey said.
