KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The top-seeded Mid-America Christian women's soccer team struggled to get the offensive attack going against No. 5 seed Bethel in the first game of pool play at the NCCAA National Championships at Austin-Tindall Soccer Complex as the Pilots defeated the Evangels 1-0 on Monday afternoon.
 
SCORING SUMMARY

• 2^nd Half – BU – 52:18 – Goal: Giulia Franco (5), Assist: Karly Harfouche – BU 1, MACU 0

MATCH SUMMARY

• Mid-America Christian (14-4-2) had a good off an early corner kick in the second minute by when Annika Gerdau's corner from the left side bounced around in the box to Cammy Hargrove on the right side, but her redirect toward the left post went just wide.
• Bethel (9-8-2) had the first great chance on-goal in the sixth minute when a deep send into the box bounced off the head of a MACU defender and to the foot of Audrey Lerch on the right side of the box, but MACU goalkeeper Rachel Torres made a sensational diving save to her right on the redirected shot.
• The Pilots had the only other shot on-goal in the 14^th minute on another header taken by Lerche off a left side cross toward the right post, but the weakly placed low bouncer was easily pounced on by Torres to keep it 0-0 going into the half.
• The Evangels had some great early chances in the second half when a quick turn by MACU by Madison Chavez relayed it to Kadin Stinson down the left side to get by the entire Bethel defense. After dribbling around one collapsing defender at the top of the 18-yard box, Stinson rifled a shot toward the top right that was knocked down by Pilots keeper Jael Schubert before a follow-up sailed wide right for a BU goal kick.
• Two minutes later, Stinson had another try when Annika Gerdau found her inside the left side of the box as she tried to punch a shot toward the right post. However, the graduate student forward wasn't able to put much power behind it as Schubert was able to step in to make the save.
• In the 53^rd, the Pilots pushed across the only goal of the match when a free kick from the left side of midfield found the foot of Karly Harfouche on the cross to the right side. Harfouche then launched a deep ball into the left side of the penalty box as Giulia Franco zipped in unmarked before tapping it inside the right post before Torres could stop it at the point of attack, making it a 1-0 BU advantage.
• The Evangels had a chance to score off a free kick in the 80^th minute when Francesca Martella stepped to the mark from 30-yards out, but her lofted freebie toward the top left corner sailed a little wide left before being snared by Schubert.
• Martella had another opportunity with just under six minutes left when the Pilots were called for a foul on the left sideline when Gerdau was taken down on the breakaway, setting up the junior forward for the free kick. Gerdau's left-footed swing found the head of Martella in the middle of the box, but she pushed it just a little too far wide right as MACU was held without a shot the rest of the way.

MATCH NOTES

• Both defenses were extremely stout as Bethel held a 10-8 edge over Mid-America Christian in shots with a slight 3-2 margin in shots on-goal.
• Francesca Martella led the MACU offensive efforts in shots with three while Kadin Stinson placed the only two shots on-goal for the Evangels.
• Rachel Torres suffered the loss in-goal after conceding the only score while tallying two saves to fall to 13-4-2 in-goal for the Evangels this season.
• Even though the loss puts MACU in a tough situation, the Evangels can still advance out of pool play if Redeemer defeats Bethel on Tuesday and MACU tops Redeemer on Wednesday.

UP NEXT

• Mid-America Christian will wrap-up pool play on Wednesday as the Evangels will take on No. 4 seed Redeemer (Canada) for a 1 p.m. (12 p.m. CST) kickoff at the Austin-Tindall Soccer Complex.