KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The offense for the Mid-America Christian University women's soccer team generated chances for much of the afternoon at the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) Division I National Championship. MACU held advantages in shots in both halves of their match against Columbia International University, however, the Lady Evangels were unable to cash in any of their chances, and in the end, that proved to be the difference.
MACU (12-8) out-shot CIU (9-6-3) 9-6 in the match, but CIU scored the only goal of the tilt just after halftime, and the Rams took a 1-0 lead to put MACU in a tough position to try to advance to the Semifinal round of the NCCAA Championship.
MACU controlled play for much of the first half. Alissa Tapp generated chance after chance from the offensive left wing side, but the Lady Evangels were unable to convert any of them, and at intermission, the match remained scoreless. In the 48th minute, the Rams broke through. A defensive lapse from the Lady Evangels led to a breakaway down the right wing, and after a cross in from the edge of the box, Rebekah Reinhard headed a pass to McKenzie Miller who rifled a shot past Jennifer Starwalt to put the Rams on top 1-0. MACU struggled to get pressure in the middle stages of the second half, and when they did press forward in the waning moments, the Lady Evangels were unable to get shots on the frame, as CIU hung on to take the 1-0 win.
Starwalt (9-7) made a pair of saves in the loss, while CIU goalkeeper Sam Wammock (7-3-1) stopped two shots in her fifth shutout of the season.
MACU now faces a must-win contest with the Championship's top-seed, the Indiana Wesleyan University Wildcats (13-3-3) on Wednesday afternoon. The teams will kick-off at 12 p.m. central time, and the Lady Evangels must win and get help if they are to advance beyond pool play at the Championship.
