Box Score
Box Score (html)
WEATHERFORD, Okla. – The SWOSU soccer team left no doubt as to who is the best team in the Great American Conference in 2013. The Bulldogs won the conference tournament championship on Sunday afternoon with a dominant 2-0 victory over Harding, the lone team to defeat SWOSU in conference play the past two seasons.
The victory marks the second consecutive GAC Tournament championship for the Bulldogs, one week after they secured back-to-back regular season championships. SWOSU won their two GAC Tournament games by a combined score 7-0 while allowing their two opponents just nine shot attempts.
Harding held SWOSU scoreless the first half despite facing 13 shots in the period, with four of them being on goal. It was not until the 55th minute that the Bulldogs got on the board when
Alexis Russell turned the corner from the left wing and put a shot up over Kaitlyn Miller that found the top right corner of the net. It was the seventh goal of the season and second of the tournament for Russell, who was named the GAC Tournament's Most Valuable Player.
Russell also had a hand in the second goal for SWOSU. Her corner kick in the 68th minute found
Natalie Crosslin in front of the goal and Crosslin was able to use her head to score her fourth goal of the season – 13th of her career – to give the Bulldogs a 2-0 cushion.
The Bulldogs offense stayed aggressive from that point on, finishing the match with a Great American Conference Tournament record 30 shot attempts and 14 shots on goal. The defense was equally impressive, limiting Harding to just two shot attempts.
Jessica Carbonara finished with a team-high 11 shot attempts while
Paige Doherty and
Kelsey Visor each attempted four shots.
Brooke Siler made her second straight start in goal and recorded the second shutout of the season, needing just one save to do so. She improves to 3-1 on the year with the victory.
Russell was one of five players from SWOSU named to the All-GAC Tournament team, joined by seniors
Kira Bertrand, Carbonara, Crosslin and Visor. Bertrand, Carbonara and Crosslin were all named to the All-Tournament Team last season while Visor has now been selected to the team in all three years of the GAC's existence.
SWOSU has now won four consecutive GAC Tournament matches by outscoring their opponents a combined 13-1. The Bulldogs were winless in postseason play until last season, but they have a 5-1 record in the postseason over the past two years, including a win in the NCAA Division II tournament last season.
With the Great American Conference tournament champion not receiving an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, the Bulldogs will wait until Monday to learn their postseason fate. The NCAA Division II Women's Soccer selection show will be broadcast on NCAA.com on Monday evening at 6:30 pm.
