No. 3 Eagles Lose NCAA Playoff Game To Panthers

On Sunday (Nov. 24) afternoon at Ferguson Field, the No. 3-ranked Ashland University women's soccer team lost 1-0 to No. RV Drury in an NCAA Division II second-round playoff game.
 
The Eagles' season ends at 17-2-2, and the Panthers move on to the third round at 16-2-4. This is the second time in four seasons Drury has beaten AU in the NCAA postseason.
 
"We created enough chances in the second half, especially when we get down by a goal, to even it up," said Ashland head coach Cayleb Paulino. "It's the way soccer is sometimes. Unfortunately, we gave up something that they're really good at, a set-piece goal, and we weren't able to put it in the back of the net."
 
A save by fifth-year goalkeeper Mackenzie Simon on a Panthers free kick in the waning moments of the first half kept the game scoreless.
 
But, in the 48^th minute, off a restart, Drury's Bella Hernandez scored on an assist from Elena Perez.
 
The Eagles had a scramble attempt to tie the game in front of the Drury net in the 82^nd minute, but one shot was blocked, and the next went wide. Another AU shot in front of the Panther goal was saved over the net in the 88^th minute.
 
…AND THE REST OF THE STORY

• Simon played the first half and made two saves, and senior keeper Maddie Dolenga played the second 45 minutes and stopped two shots.
• Ashland out-shot Drury, 11-5, and took all six of the game's corner kicks.
• The game is the last for the Eagles' very successful senior class.
• "You've got to remember the journey and how you got here," said Paulino, "and things that you take out of this game is soccer is a cruel game, and unfortunately, we didn't get the result we wanted. But that doesn't take away from the four years that they've had here and what they've done for this program."