PLAINVIEW, Texas – The third-seeded Wayland Baptist Women's Soccer team delivered a dominant postseason performance Tuesday afternoon, defeating sixth-seeded Nelson University, 4-0, at Hilliard Field in the quarterfinals of the Sooner Athletic Conference (SAC) Tournament. Behind a two-goal performance from Erin Carr and a strong defensive effort, the Pioneers advanced to the SAC Tournament Semifinals.
Wayland wasted little time establishing control offensively, with Carr breaking the scoreless tie in the 21st minute. Following a corner kick opportunity, Carr found the back of the net at the 20:28 mark to give the Pioneers a 1-0 advantage.
Just 91 seconds later, Carr struck again, scoring her second goal of the afternoon at the 21:59 mark to extend Wayland's lead to 2-0. The Pioneers carried that two-goal advantage into halftime after holding Nelson scoreless through the opening 45 minutes.
The Lions increased their offensive pressure in the second half, but Wayland's defensive unit remained composed. Goalkeeper Ashley Lopez delivered several key saves to preserve the shutout, while Narriah Gomez contributed a crucial defensive save in the 53rd minute.
Wayland added to its lead in the 71st minute when Camila Zavala connected on a scoring opportunity off an assist from Lilly Gansauge. Zavala's goal at the 70:20 mark pushed the Pioneers ahead 3-0 and gave Wayland additional breathing room down the stretch.
The Pioneers put the finishing touches on their quarterfinal victory in the 83rd minute when Ashley Perez found the back of the net off an assist from Zavala, extending the advantage to 4-0 and sealing Wayland's place in the conference semifinals.
Carr led the Pioneer offense with two goals on two shots, while Zavala finished with one goal and one assist. Perez added the fourth goal, and Gansauge recorded an assist.
Despite being outshot 16-14 overall, Wayland capitalized on its opportunities, converting four of its eight shots on goal. The Pioneers also held a 6-4 advantage in corner kicks.
Defensively, Lopez played all 90 minutes in goal and recorded eight saves to secure the shutout. Gomez also contributed a defensive save as the Pioneers kept Nelson off the scoreboard.
Wayland Head Coach Alex Castaneda praised his team's complete performance in the postseason victory.
"A very good team performance from start to finish in the SAC Quarterfinals. We were able to create opportunities, finish our chances, and put together a strong defensive effort to earn the 4-0 victory. I'm proud of the way the group competed, stayed disciplined, and played for one another. It's a great result in postseason play, and we'll continue building on this momentum as we move forward," said Castaneda.
UP NEXT
With the victory, the third-seeded Pioneers advance to the SAC Tournament Semifinals on Friday, November 6, in Chickasha, Oklahoma, at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma.
Wayland will face the second-seeded University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma.
The Pioneers will look to carry their momentum into Friday's semifinal contest as they continue their pursuit of a SAC Tournament Championship.
