The Baker University women’s soccer season came to an end Monday after the No. 3 seed Vanguard University defeated the Wildcats 5-1 in the second round of the 2012 NAIA Women’s Soccer National Championship tournament.
Of the three appearances the Wildcats have made at nationals, the loss to Vanguard was the earliest they have been knocked out from the competition.
Baker entered the tournament as the No. 14 seed and finished its season in Orange Beach, Ala., with a record of 13-7-1.
With their victory, the Vanguard Lions are now on a 14 game-winning streak and hold an overall record of 18-2-0 as they proceed to the next round.
Vanguard took control of the first half in which the Lions scored all five of their goals.
A mere four minutes had passed in the game when shot leader Jordan Davidson found the back of the net for Vanguard by beating the Baker defense and finishing a pass from teammate Amanda Couch right inside the box.
The duo would team up again in the 22nd minute with another pass from Couch allowing Davidson to face Baker goalkeeper Rachel Theobald one-on-one. As Theobald came out to contest, Davidson made a move past her and scored on the open goal.
Vanguard went up 3-0 and Couch picked up her third assist of the match at the 27:34 mark as teammate Lindsey Holman-Kelly got her foot on the ball following a free kick.
Just over a minute later, Davidson crossed the ball right in front of the goal giving Holman-Kelly the opportunity to connect again and score her second goal of the day.
The Lions’ final score belonged to Lauren Skachenko just before halftime with an assist from teammate Rachel Rucireta.
Baker picked up its intensity in the second half as Theobald and the rest of the ‘Cats defense kept Vanguard from scoring again.
Freshman Shalynn Eldredge-McMillan took a point-blank shot at the goal after receiving a pass from senior Finola Corley to break the shutout in the 86th minute.
Vanguard took 22 more shots than Baker during the game. Of the nine shots the Wildcats took, senior Jordan Dolbin led the team with four. Eldredge-McMillan recorded two attempts of her own and the other looks came from junior Ashley Sampson, sophomore Alexa Fryer and Corley.
Theobald finished the day with eight saves, five of which were collected in the second half.
Vanguard is scheduled to play the winner of Tuesday’s No. 11 Kansas Wesleyan and No. 6 Spring Arbor matchup on Wednesday at the Orange Beach Sportsplex.
