BOX SCORE || BETHANY, Okla. – Tessa Woodcock’s goal in the 18th minute stood tall as the third-seeded Ouachita Baptist Tigers defeated top-seeded Southern Nazarene, 1-0, to claim the 2014 Great American Conference Women’s Soccer Championship at Wes Harmon Field.
After making trips to the GAC title game in 2011 and 2012, the Tigers became the first team in the four-year history of the event to beat the regular-season champion. GAC top seeds had won the first three GAC Championships.
Woodcock’s goal, her first of the season, came following a free kick from Abby Emanuel. Woodcock headed the ball into the back of the net. The Tigers (7-11-1) outshot the Crimson Storm (10-9-1) 9-8 in the opening 45 minutes. In the second half, SNU outshot OBU 20-2 in the second half.
The Crimson Storm’s best chance to even the match came in the 69th minute when Hannah Robinson's shot hit the post. Lauren Llanes stopped 10 shots in the match for her second shutout of the GAC Championships. She made a total of 15 saves in wins against Harding and SNU. The Tigers became the third team in four years to win the GAC Soccer Championships without allowing a goal, joining East Central in 2011 and Southwestern Oklahoma State in 2013.
Woodcock earned Tournament MVP honors. Her teammates Emanuel, Llanes, Morgan Allen and Haley Hatcher joined her on the All-Tournament Team. Bekah Stewart, Mallary Pineda and Breana Harris represented the Crimson Storm on the All-Tournament squad. Harding’s Averie Albright and Melissa Minnich plus East Central’s Kristina Gonzalez-Claborn and Katie Glutz rounded out the 12-member All-Tournament team.