Bison Advance to Fourth Straight GAC Championship Game

SHAWNEE – For the fourth season in a row, the Oklahoma Baptist women's soccer team advanced to the Great American Conference Tournament championship game, shutting out East Central, 3-0, in the league semifinals on a rainy Tuesday evening. The Bison earned home-field advantage by winning the GAC regular season with a record of 5-0-1 in conference play.
 
In the first period, OBU posted 11 shots to ECU's seven, but neither team found the back of the net. Both goalkeepers were tested, but both Mia Pendleton of OBU and Mollie Nance of ECU were up to the challenge. Pendleton fended off three shots on her goal and Nance stemmed OBU's offensive onslaught of five. 
 
After a short intermission, the Bison offense went on a three-goal streak. The first goal came in the 53rd minute, when Hannah White breached the ECU defense on a cross-shot. White posted her second goal of the game 14 minutes later. Even though the Bison had a 2-0 advantage, they did not give the Tigers any breathing room. OBU made Nance defend against five more shots, before Emily Griffith put the game away with a final goal in the 80th minute. 
 
Hannah Evans, Keely Hampton, Katey Fowler, and Tori Kitchel combined for four assists on the three Bison goals, helping cement the OBU victory. OBU had five players who finished with multiple shots on goal, including Hampton (2), Fowler (2), Kitchel (2), Griffith (3), and White (3).
 
OBU will return to its home field on Saturday, April 17, for the GAC Championship Game against Ouachita Baptist. The Bison knocked off the Tigers, 2-0, in the teams' only previous meeting of the season in Shawnee on April 3.

Fans can watch the game live on the GAC Sports Network at 2 p.m.