Official Championship Page
UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio - The tears are genuine flowing from Alderson Broaddus senior attacker Jasmine Barham's face in the postgame interview that went viral shortly after being published.
It's hard for the runner-up of a conference tournament to sit and watch the celebration regardless of sport, and the Battlers had to endure that tough ending to conclude 2016.
The Battlers felt they were close in last spring's inaugural conference championship and this year, completed a season-long mission to capture the program's first title and bring a trophy back to Philippi.
The catalyst was Barham, a skilled five-time conference offensive player of the week in the arsenal of head coach Angie Rudy's offensive game plan.
Barham missed graduation on the AB campus to wait out a weather delay, switch venues to John Carroll University, and ultimately taste championship glory.
But it was all worth it when the Battlers rushed the field as time ticked down.
No. 2 seed Alderson Broaddus toppled No. 1 seed Ursuline for the second time in 2017 after splitting the regular-season series. Saturday's final was by a score of 18-15 as AB surged in the second half to earn the win in chilly conditions.
The move from Ursuline's home field in nearby Pepper Pike to John Carroll University was prompted due to student-athlete safety concerns from field conditions. What was an originally projected 1 p.m. EDT start time turned in a 5 p.m. start on the neutral field.
The foundation set by players like departed Tia Kline and Aurora Winwood set the stage for this year's title run. Barham was the lone senior on this year's roster and faced lofty expectations head on.
The Battlers stifled two-time G-MAC Offensive Player of the Year Cydney Bartlett, who didn't take one shot until the final minute of regulation. She was shadowed all game by the AB defense and held off the score sheet.
AB's Krista Cooper had four goals on 10 shots and recorded a pair of assists. Mykirah Jones also scored four times for the Battlers. Keeper Fallyn Gonzales made 10 saves for the winning decision in goal.
G-MAC co-Freshman of the Year Natalie Nowicki scored four goals for Ursuline and Maddie Kipp tallied five.