A penalty kick goal plus a clean sheet equaled a win on Thursday (Nov. 11) night for the No. 15-ranked Ashland University women's soccer team against Trevecca Nazarene in a 2021 Great Midwest Athletic Conference Tournament semifinal at Ferguson Field.
 
The Eagles improve to 14-1-3 after moving to 13-0-2 in the last 15 games, while the Trojans are 9-7-4.
 
"I don't think we played our best," said Ashland head coach Cayleb Paulino. "I think having all those days off (nine)...(and) getting back into the mentality like, 'listen, this is an NCAA-type game.' It's great to have everybody back and moving some pieces around.
 
"We're moving on, and that's all that matters."
 
WHAT HAPPENED

• Senior defender Tori Baker scored on a penalty kick in the 31^st minute for her fifth goal of the year. The PK was called thanks to a foul drawn on the goalkeeper by freshman forward Merrik Mihalek, who was a force in the first half after being the first sub off the bench.
• "Merrik's had a phenomenal last couple of weeks," Paulino said. "She got the start against Lake Erie and was really impactful, and we knew that if we gave her an opportunity there in the first half, she was going to get a chance for us."
• Junior goalkeeper Bri Rogers made two saves for her eighth clean sheet of the fall and to move her season record to 12-0-1. It was AU's 10^th shutout of the season overall.
• Ashland out-shot Trevecca Nazarene, 12-3, and took seven of the game's eight corner kicks.
• "Our team has worked so hard this entire season," Baker said. "We've put in the work. We've put in so much work, and we know we're not done."

 
UP NEXT
The Great Midwest championship game at home on Saturday (Nov. 13) at 3 p.m. against Cedarville (12-4-2), a 1-0 win over Walsh in Thursday's second semifinal.
 
"We can't think too far ahead. We have to take it game by game," Baker said of potentially hosting an NCAA Division II split regional tournament. "Just focus on what's next."