Tweet #theGAC  SHAWNEE, Okla. – Southwestern Oklahoma’s powerful tandem of Alimata Rabo and Sandra Nabweteme accounted for all the scoring as the Bulldogs defeated top seed Oklahoma Baptist, 3-2, to claim the 2017 Great American Conference Championship title on Saturday at the OBU Soccer Complex.
 
Rabo, the GAC Offensive Player of the Year and the nation’s leading scorer, put SWOSU (12-3-4) in front in the ninth minute when she headed in a cross from Erica Brunet. That one goal stood as the lone scoring play of the opening 45 minutes.
 
In the 62nd minute, Nabweteme tallied her first goal of the contest as she took a pass from Rabo and beat Emily Griffith with low shot into the right corner.
 
The Lady Bison (15-2-3) countered with their first goal of the contest when Abigail Hicks converted a rebound attempt in the 73rd minute for her second goal of the season. The officials ruled that her shot, initially ruled as saved by a SWOSU defender, crossed the goal line.
 
Less than one minute later, however, SWOSU regained its two-goal advantage as Rabo again set up Nabwetme with in cross inside that box that Nabwetme chipped over Griffith.
 
Oklahoma Baptist mounted a final surge as Kerregan Edwards converted a free kick from 30 yards out in the 87th minute. From that point, the Bulldogs thwarted the remaining Lady Bison attacks.
 
Rabo earned Tournament MVP honors. She scored three goals and added two assists for the tournament. Nabweteme, Brunet, Lauren Williams and Lauren Tonkovich garnered All-Tournament honors. Edwards, Emmily Infante and Jen Goethe represented the Lady Bison. East Central’s Alexis Castillo and Alyssa Butler plus Harding’s Emma Chilton and Mattilyn Reeder filled out the 12-member squad.
 
The Bulldogs won their third GAC Championship title. They captured consecutive titles in 2012 and 2013. They earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Central Regional. The NCAA will announce the tournament field at 5 p.m. on Monday on NCAA.com.