FINDLAY, Ohio – In front of a great turnout at DeHaven Field, No. 3 seed Findlay rose to the occasion in a PK shootout to move past No. 6 seed Rockhurst in the first round of the NCAA Championship Midwest Regional on Thursday.
The Oilers were tied with the Hawks at the end of 110 minutes, 1-1, before the Great Midwest Athletic Conference regular season champs stepped up to the playoff challenge.
Addie Graham scored in regulation for Findlay, bringing the Oilers back to 1-1 following a Rockhurst goal in the 24th minute. The home crowd turned out in masses, lined up and rushed the field in unison, as Findlay had a 3-0 advantage on successful PK’s by Sierra Peacock, Annina Sommer and Paige Casto, in order.
It is the second year in a row that the Great Midwest has an advancing team out of the opening round of the Midwest Regional after Walsh downed Saginaw Valley State in 2018.
As a back-to-back NCAA qualifier, second-seeded Walsh also took the field for the early game with a start time at 10 a.m. ET vs. No. 7 UIndy from the Great Lakes Valley Conference.
The Cavaliers were coming off an emotional high after winning three straight postseason contests in the Great Midwest Championship bracket to secure the league’s AQ.
Unfortunately, the result was a tough 1-0 loss to the Greyhounds and the Cavaliers ended their 2019 season with a 16-5-0 overall record. Walsh worked hard to manufacture shots, doubling up UIndy, 16-8, but after scoring three times in the conference tourney final, just couldn't strike while the iron was hot.
UIndy scored on a free kick that was whistled just to the side of the box in the 52nd minute of regulation.
For Findlay, it was redemption for 2019 Great Midwest Coach of the Year Jimmy Walker and his squad after being ousted in the conference tournament semifinals in Dayton.
The Oilers improved to 14-2-2 overall on the year. UF's portion of the Midwest Region bracket started things off first - No. 1 Grand Valley State vs. No. 8 Southern Indiana and No. 4 Ashland vs. No. 5 McKendree are both tomorrow from Allendalee, Mich.
Findlay will now entertain UIndy for a second-round matchup on Saturday at 1 p.m. ET. The winner would advance to the regional semifinals.