Lady Bison Repeat as GAC Champions

SHAWNEE – Oklahoma Baptist claimed its second consecutive Great American Conference regular-season crown Thursday with an exciting 4-3 overtime win over Southwestern Oklahoma State.
 
The win gives OBU an 11-0 record in the GAC on the field and against the team that ended its season last year.
"(This championship) means a whole lot," said OBU Coach Mike White. "This group of girls is special. It's their second championship in a row I think last year we left the tournament with a bitter taste in their mouth. These girls have done their part and I'm so proud of them."
 
Southwestern entered at 9-1 in the league with the lone conference loss coming at the hands of OBU, 2-0, in Weatherford.
 
After Oklahoma Baptist controlled the first half, Southwestern dominated the second half before freshman Tori Kitchel ended the drama with a game-winner in the first overtime period.
 
"We made them adjust to us in the first half and we tried to adjust to their game in the second half and they scored two goals," said White. "Before the overtime, we just stressed that we needed to go back to our game and we got the goal."
 
The Lady Bison scored in the 16^th minute when Kerregan Edwards' intended pass sailed over the head of a charging SWOSU keeper and rolled into the net for a 1-0 OBU lead. For Edwards, it was goal No. 6 of the season.
 
Kitchel scored on a quick shot from far outside in the 19^th minute for a 2-0 lead.
 
Sandra Nabweteme ended OBU's shutout streak with a penalty kick in the 39^th minute but Reagan Mann scored with an assist from Edwards with 43 seconds left in the half for a 3-1 lead. The goal was the second of the season for Mann, while Edwards claimed her fifth assist.
 
Nabweteme scored in the 68^th minute to make it 3-2 and added her third goal of the night just two minutes later to know the score at 3-3.
 
With 4:54 left in the overtime period, Kitchel shot from the top of the 18 and crushed the ball just over the outstretched arms of the keeper for the winner. It was Kitchel's sixth goal of the season.
 
OBU out-shot the Bulldogs 28-12, putting 11 shots on goal. Edwards and Kitchel had five shots each with Mann putting three shots on goal.
 
Emily Griffith registered four saves in the win.
 
Now 13-4 overall and 11-0 in the GAC, OBU wraps up the regular season with Northwestern Oklahoma State Saturday at 2 p.m. in the Senior Day Game. The Lady Bison then hosts the GAC Tournament with semifinal games Thursday and the championship game Saturday, Nov. 3.

OBU, with a win Saturday, would be the first team to complete a Great American Conference season with a full slate of victories.