WEATHERFORD, Okla. (GAC) -
Down
a goal late in the Great American Conference Women's Soccer
Championship, No. 18 and top-seeded Southwestern Oklahoma State pulled
off a dramatic comeback with
two goals in a three-minute span to stun Ouachita Baptist, 2-1, to
claim the tournament title Sunday at the Southwestern Oklahoma State
Sports Complex.
A pair of All-GAC performers found the net in the Bulldog comeback.
First-Team forward Kelsey Visor tied the game at one in the 84th minute
as she trickled the ball past a sprawling Shelby Shepherd. In the 87th
minute First-Team midfielder Jessica Carbonara
connected on a blast from 25 yards out for the game-winner, her fourth
tally of the season.
"It was unbelievable; before I came on, I told a teammate 'I got this'
and as I was dribbling forward, someone came over so I shot it,"
Carbonara said. "It was the best feeling ever -best goal of my career by
far."
The game looked for the longest time like it would follow the script of
last season's title contest and head to overtime as neither the Lady
Tigers nor the Bulldogs could find the net the first 78 minutes.
Southwestern Oklahoma State (19-0-1) had multiple chances,
but either missed wide with its best shots or hit them right at
Ouachita goalkeeper Shepherd. She made 13 saves Sunday and 22 for the
weekend.
Despite being outshot for the second game in a row, it looked like
Ouachita Baptist (10-8-1) would again win on a late goal.
Two days after
Sarah Broyles won the semifinal game with a goal in the 78th minute,
Abby Emanuel gave the Lady Tigers a 1-0 advantage
in the 79th minute after a scramble in front of the net that following a
free kick from near midfield. In the two GAC Championship matches, the
Lady Tigers nearly pulled through despite losing the shots count by a
combined 41-9.
"Once we got into the game, I felt like we were doing some good things
in the first half, but we just couldn't find a goal," Bulldog head coach
Mark Persson said.
"Once we got late and they got that goal, then all
of a sudden, the intensity got turned up a
bit. The girls have been very composed through the whole season with
the pressure we've had on us every game."
Carbonara earned the Tournament MVP honor leading five Bulldogs on the
All-Tournament Team. Josie Price, the regular-season Offensive Player of
the Year and Kira Bertrand, the Defensive Player of the Year plus Visor
and Natalie Crosslin joined Carbonara on
the team.
Mary Whisenhunt, Lauren Hatch and Carrie Lieblong represented
Ouachita with East Central's Mollie Hummell and Andi Reagan plus
Harding's Hannah Hatcher and Lauren Scharf rounding out the 12-member
All-Tournament Team.
Southwestern Oklahoma State, who entered the weekend rated fourth in the
NCAA Central Region Rankings, will learn its postseason fate Monday at
6:30 p.m. Central time during the NCAA Selection Show. It will stream
live at
NCAA.com.