OKLAHOMA CITY – The Mid-America Christian women's soccer team will be aiming for its second trip to the NCCAA National Championships in three years as the Evangels host Sooner Athletic Conference rival Southwestern Christian for the NCCAA Central Region Championship at 2 p.m. on Tuesday.
LAST TIME OUT
After advancing to the SAC Semifinals for just the second time in program history, Mid-America Christian (12-5-1) had its SAC Tournament run come to an end as the Evangels dropped a 7-0 match to eventual SAC Champion, No. 9 University of Science & Arts on Nov. 12.
SCOUTING THE EAGLES
Southwestern Christian enters Tuesday's championship tilt with a 6-9-2 overall record and finished 4-4-1 in Sooner Athletic Conference play. The Eagles are coming off a dramatic victory over Central Christian in the NCCAA Central Region Semifinal, rallying from a 2-1 halftime deficit with a second half goal to tie the match and force overtime. Through two scoreless overtime periods, the two teams went to penalty kicks and after both teams converted all five of their attempts, the match went to sudden death PKs. Following a pair of misses, SCU's Hannah Warner punched in the go-ahead penalty kick, allowing the Eagles to advance 7-6 after Central Christian missed its chance at an equalizer.
The Eagles attack is led by junior forward Megan Deshazo. The Sand Springs, Okla. product scored nine goals and added three assists for a team-best 21 points. Junior midfielder and All-SAC Second Team honoree Melonie Baca also chipped in five goals and three assists for 15 points.
In goal, the Eagles are led by All-SAC Second Team goalkeeper Ashlynn Haylett. The senior keeper gave up 4.21 goals per game and recorded 56 saves for a .644 save percentage. She split time with another senior keeper in Jordan Houle, who gave up just 1.86 goals per game and notched 47 saves for a .758 save percentage.
HISTORY WITH THE EAGLES
Mid-America Christian and Southwestern Christian will be playing each other for the second time during the 2019 season. The last time the two teams met on Oct. 15 in Bethany, Okla., the Evangels put together a strong second half effort, notching three goals from Sylvie Willie, Bayleigh Fink and Liz Lozano to come away with the 3-0 victory. MACU is 10-0 against SCU dating back to the 2010 campaign.
CHAMPIONSHIP CHASE
The Mid-America Christian women's soccer team came into the 2019 NCCAA Tournament as one of the top rated teams, finishing sixth in the final NCCAA Top 10 Poll and were rated seventh in the final NCCAA MRPI released on Nov. 12. The Evangels were ranked second in the Central Region, but were elected as host after Oklahoma Wesleyan qualified for the NAIA Tournament. Of the teams competing in the NCCAA Tournament, the Evangels are the third-highest rated team only behind Cedarville (Ohio) and Ottawa (Ariz.) in the MRPI.
BY DESIGN FOR DRESEL
MACU Head Coach Evan Dresel is no stranger to competing for the NCCAA Central Region Championship as he will be gunning for a fourth regional championship in his 10th season as the head coach of the Evangels. The last time the Evangels won the regional was during the 2017 campaign as MACU pulled off a 1-0 victory over Colorado Christian in the NCCAA Central Region Semifinal before taking down Southwestern Assemblies of God 1-0 in the championship tilt to advance to the national tournament. Dresel has also taken the team to nationals in 2014 and 2015, with the best run coming during the 2015 campaign when MACU defeated Warner 2-1 and Columbia International 6-0 before falling 1-0 to eventual NCCAA National Champion Houghton in the Pool B Final.
