Following up on a 2024 Great Midwest Athletic Conference regular-season championship, the No. 3-ranked Ashland University women's soccer team earned a 2024 Great Midwest Tournament title on Saturday (Nov. 16) night following a 3-1 win over Northwood at Ferguson Field.
The Eagles are 17-1-2 heading into the NCAA Division II postseason, and the Timberwolves are 13-3-5.
This year's titles come a year after losing both the Great Midwest regular-season and tournament championships to Northwood.
"There was some unsettled business from last year," admitted Ashland head coach
Cayleb Paulino. "We let it slip away, but I think we grew as a group, and we had over a year to think about it. I'm proud of the group to put it together and win both for the senior class in their last year.
"Ever since we lost that final last year, I think we grew as a group, and the standard raised."
In the 11
th minute, senior forward
McKinley Mendenhall scored her 13
th goal of the season off a rebound shot by senior forward
Tori Haggit (third assist of 2024). It was Mendenhall's 32
nd goal of her AU career.
Ashland scored its second goal early in the second half, as sophomore midfielder
Haley Hightower's second tally of the fall outside of the 18 gave the Eagles an insurance goal. Senior defender
Hope Evans had the assist, her third of the campaign.
"Haley's an unsung hero for us," Paulino noted. "She's not on the stat sheet very often, but man, does she do a lot of really good things for us."
Mendenhall potted her second goal of the game in the 69
th minute, for the 14
th of the season and 33
rd of her career – also making her the fourth player in AU women's soccer history to have at least 100 career points (101).
The assists on the goal went to Haggit (fourth of the season) and senior midfielder
Merrik Mihalek (second of the season).
"It means a lot to them," Paulino said of the seniors. "There's not too many games left, and hopefully, we have a month left. But you could see the determination and the conversation that was happening constantly between the group."
Northwood's goal came in the 78
th minute in front of the Eagle net from Addyson Gorzelski.
A COMMON RECURRENCE…AND THE REST OF THE STORY
- The Eagles have won three conference tournament titles since joining the Great Midwest four years ago.
- Senior goalkeeper Maddie Dolenga played the first half and made one save, while fifth-year keeper Mackenzie Simon played the second half and made two stops.
- Ashland had a 16-8 advantage in shots, and a 9-3 edge in corner kicks.
- Ashland is 25-5-5 all-time vs. Northwood.
- Mendenhall was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player, and members of the all-tournament team are junior forward Dani Hicks, senior midfielder Merrik Mihalek and sophomore center back Adi Turnbaugh.
UP NEXT
The 2024 NCAA Division II women's soccer postseason selection show on Monday (Nov. 18) at 7 p.m..
