Wayland Baptist will go after its first-ever Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament title in women's soccer beginning at 6:30 p.m. Friday in Chickasha, Okla., against ninth-ranked Science & Arts of Oklahoma.
Wayland (7-6-3), seeded seventh, advanced to its first conference title tilt with a 1-0 win over third-seeded Texas Wesleyan on Tuesday in Fort Worth. That followed advancement through the first round last Friday in Siloam Springs, Ark., where Wayland tied 13
th-ranked, second-seeded John Brown, 1-1 in double-overtime but survived with a 4-3 shootout win. It was the Pioneers' first "win" against the Golden Eagles in 19 meetings.
Wayland has realized some success against USAO through the years, but the top-seeded Drovers (19-1) by far hold the upper-hand in the all-time series, leading 16-4. That includes a 7-0 victory when the teams met Nov. 2 in Chickasha.
Wayland's most recent win against USAO came last season when the Pioneers knocked off the then 16
th-ranked Drovers, 1-0. Current senior
Taylor Moore scored from a near-impossible angle in the 58
th minute, and the Pioneers went on to secure the win over its highest-ranked opponent in program history.
Two matches later in the first round of the conference tournament, Wayland lost to USAO, 5-1.
USAO's only setback this season came Oct. 5 at home against John Brown, 1-0. Since then the Drovers have won nine in a row, including playoff victories over Central Christian, 8-1, and Mid-America Christian, 7-0.
The Drovers have outscored opponents on the season, 113-7.
Wayland coach
Shiloh Posey said the Drovers are "scary good.
"We're going to give it everything we have," he said.
The winner of Friday's final automatically advances to the NAIA National Championships, set to begin with opening-round matches at campus sites Nov. 23. The final site tournament will be held Dec. 2-7 in Orange Beach, Ala.
If Wayland wins Friday, it would mark the first time the Pioneers have made it all the way to the national tourney.
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