ASHLAND, Ohio - Bailey Clark’s top-shelf rocket settled the score in overtime as No. 1 seed Ashland edged No. 2 Cedarville in overtime during Saturday’s Great Midwest Athletic Conference Women’s Soccer Championship final, 2-1.
It was an entertaining duel at Ferguson Field between the top two teams in the bracket and a pair of regionally ranked programs fighting for NCAA Championship seeding either as an AQ or through at-large criteria.
After playing through constant rain on Thursday night during the semifinals, the field was dry, but the temperatures dropped and the winds swirled on the pitch, making conditions unpredictable at times.
This was the third meeting of 2021 between the Eagles and Yellow Jackets and Ashland defeated a resilient Cedarville squad for the third time, not easy to do regardless of sport.
The Yellow Jackets tied things up with about 16 minutes to go on a free kick by first team all-conference midfielder Mackenzie Northcutt. Cedarville had been knocking on the door in Ashland’s defensive zone before Northcutt delivered a laser on the set piece.
All of the scoring came in the second half as the majority possession tilted in favor of Ashland in the first 45 minutes with an 8-2 shot advantage. Hannah Mueller delivered the opening blow in the 49th minute as the Eagles crowded the box.
Northcutt nearly scored again on the same type of play but goalkeeper Bri Rogers batted it high in the air and the ball sailed over the crossbar.
The back-and-forth tempo had a certain air that this one would be destined to go into PK’s for a shootout.
But Clark unleashed a shot just outside of the box in the middle of the field past the outstretched arms of Great Midwest Goalkeeper of the Year Brooke Ackley and into the corner of the net.
The Eagles then stormed the field to celebrate their first conference tournament title as a Great Midwest member institution.
Ashland’s maiden voyage through the Great Midwest was incredibly successful with an undefeated run through the regular season standings. Head coach Cayleb Paulino had the Great Midwest Defensive Player of the Year Tori Baker and Great Midwest Freshman of the Year McKinley Mendenhall along with more impact performers that earned all-conference status.
The Eagles await their placement in the NCAA Championship field after being ranked No. 2 in the Midwest Region for the last three weeks of the regular season. The NCAA Selection Show is scheduled to air on Monday night at 6 p.m. ET on NCAA.com.
Cedarville is currently ranked No. 8 in the Midwest Region and the Yellow Jackets, conference regular season runners-up, will be hoping for an at-large selection into the national tournament field.