PHOTO GALLERY || SEARCY, Ark. – In the highest scoring game in Great American Conference Women’s Soccer Championship history, Harding rallied with three second-half goals to defeat Southwestern Oklahoma State, 5-3, to claim its first GAC Championship title on Saturday from Stevens Soccer Complex.
Down 3-2 with less than 20 minutes remaining, Audrey Adkison followed up on a failed clearance of her own corner kick with a perfectly placed shot to the far post to even the score. A mere 44 seconds later Mika Richards dropped in a shot from 35 yards out over the head of the Bulldog goalkeeper, Courtney Flores, to give the Lady Bisons (15-3-2) their third lead of the contest. Harding added an own goal in the 85th minute for the final score.
After trailing 2-1 at half, Southwestern Oklahoma State (13-6-1) scored twice in a three-minute span of the second half to grab a 3-2 advantage. Samantha Nunez scored her 12th goal of the season in the 61st minute on a rolling shot from the top of the 18-yard box. In the 64th minute, Cori Kelly scored off a cross from Olivia Butler.
The Lady Bisons controlled play in the first half, outshooting the Bulldogs 17-3. Richards scored her first goal of the contest in the 12th minute when she tapped home a deflection off of a corner kick from Adkison. Nunez tied the contest six minutes later when she converted a rebound from inside the 6-yard box. GAC Freshman of the Year Bethany Sutherland netted her 23rd goal of the season, extending her GAC single-season record as she deposited a rebound after Flores deflected Averie Albright’s attempt on net.
The eight-goal output established a GAC Women’s Soccer Championship single-game scoring record. Previously, East Central and Harding combined for six goals in a 2011 semifinal. It also represented the highest scoring game between two GAC schools this season.
For her efforts, Richards earned Tournament MVP honors. Fellow Lady Bisons Adkison, Sutherland, Ellie Buttram and Larkin Hatcher earned All-Tournament honors. Nunez, Kelly and Kylee Bertrand garnered All-Tournament accolades for the Bulldogs. Ouachita’s Haley Hatcher and Tessa Woodcock plus Southern Nazarene’s Hannah Robinson and Paige Roark rounded out the 12-member All-Tournament Team.
Harding will learn its NCAA Tournament fate on Monday at 5:30 p.m. during the NCAA.com Selection Show. The Lady Bisons earned the GAC’s first automatic bid into the field of 48. Southwestern Oklahoma State made the GAC’s only prior appearance into the NCAA Tournament, in 2012.