For the fourth consecutive season, the women's soccer teams from Ashland University and Cedarville played each other in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference Tournament.
And, for the fourth straight year, the No. 3-ranked Eagles defeated the Yellow Jackets. On Thursday (Nov. 14) night at Ferguson Field, Ashland took a 3-0 decision from Cedarville to advance to the 2024 Great Midwest Tournament championship game.
The Eagles are 16-1-2, and the Yellow Jackets are 11-6-3.
"There's a bit of a rivalry and respect between the two programs," said Ashland head coach
Cayleb Paulino. "It's always a difficult test, and we had to be our best today against one of the best teams in the conference, and we found a way to get a result."
In the 16
th minute, the 2024 Great Midwest Offensive Player of the Year, junior forward
Dani Hicks, headed in her 14
th goal of the season following a corner kick from sophomore midfielder
Ella Schneider (fourth assist of the season). For Hicks, it also was her 32
nd career goal as an Eagle.
Ashland needed just 2:05 to score in the second half, as, in the 48
th minute, senior forward
McKinley Mendenhall potted her 12
th goal of 2024 and 31
st of her AU career. Hicks crossed the ball for her seventh assist of the campaign and 19
th collegiate helper.
Junior midfielder
Emily Pate's fourth goal of the season in the 77
th minute gave AU the final margin of victory. Hicks assisted for the second time in the game and the 20
th time in her Ashland career – tied for seventh place in program history. Hicks' 84 points move her into seventh all-time as an Eagle.
"The lights weren't too bright for her today," Paulino said of Hicks. "She's been dangerous all year, and the pairing of her and McKinley is tough to beat, and I'm glad to see them put it in the back of the net."
SHUTOUT NO. 14 OF 2024…AND THE REST OF THE STORY
- Ashland's defense earned shutout No. 14 of the season, as fifth-year goalkeeper Mackenzie Simon started and made a save in the first half, then senior keeper Maddie Dolenga played the second half and stopped three shots.
- "If it isn't broke, don't fix it, and both have made big contributions to the program," said Paulino. "Maddie made some big saves in the second to keep the clean sheet, and that's what they're here for."
- The Yellow Jackets had a 19-16 shots advantage, while the Eagles led slightly in corner kicks, 4-3.
UP NEXT
The tournament title game on Saturday (Nov. 16) at 5 p.m. at home vs. Northwood (13-2-5) – in a rematch of the 2023 Great Midwest Tournament championship contest.
