FULTON, Mo. – Missouri Baptist Women's Soccer is headed back to the AMC Championship game for the first time in five years after a 3-0 win over William Woods on Monday afternoon. The third seeded Spartans will meet top seeded Columbia for the title on Thursday at 3 pm (moved up-- previously announced as 6 pm).
With temperatures in the 20s and snow consistently falling from the opening kickoff, the Spartans overcame everything the Owls and Mother Nature threw at them on Monday afternoon. WWU had the better of the play early but a shot off the crossbar and another attempt saved MBU keeper
Jemica Artillaga kept the game scoreless.
Shot attempts were 7-2 in favor of the Owls early but the tide changed for good with six minutes left in the opening half.
Gianna Gore fed
Maddie Mrazik to the right of the Owls' penalty area and the Fort Zumwalt East product beat WWU keeper Michyla Handley with a screamer. Mrazik's eighth of the year sent the visiting side into halftime ahead by one.
The Spartans had momentum going into the locker room and picked up where they left off after the break. In the 59
th minute, a give and go between
Madi Dunahue and
Allie Heinz sent Heinz into the penalty area alone. The senior connected for her second goal of the year to make it 2-0 MBU.
A little over 10 minutes later,
Madison Dodd set
Gianna Gore up with an opportunity to seal the game. The freshman lofted a shot over the head of Handley and into the far corner for a commanding 3-0 advantage.
William Woods failed to record a shot on goal in the last 75 minutes of the match. Lockdown defending made it a relatively simple day for
Jemica Artillaga who recorded her seventh shutout of the season.
The Spartans now advance to their first AMC Championship game since 2014. They'll face a stiff test in Columbia College (17-3, 12-0 AMC). The Cougars were the last team to beat the Spartans before Mo. Bap began its current 10-game winning streak. If they can pull off the upset, the Spartans will earn a bid to the NAIA Opening Round for the second straight year.
For those that can't make it Columbia, the match will be broadcasted on the
AMC Sports Network.
