The Baker women’s soccer team tied MidAmerica Nazarene University 1-1 in double overtime Tuesday and won against Central Methodist University 2-1 last Friday. This puts the Wildcats at 9-4-2 on the year and 4-1-1 in conference play.
“As long as we keep playing our game and be more goal minded, then we will be successful,” sophomore Mikayla Medlock said. (Story continued below.)
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It was not until the second half that a goal was scored, as defender Alysia King headed in the only Baker goal. MidAmerica tied the game with six minutes left in regulation.
“We were flat-footed in the first half but then picked up the intensity in the second half,” senior Annie Cook said.
King, who has already missed several games earlier this season, suffered from what may be a concussion that could put her out for the rest of the season.
The win against Central Methodist gave the Wildcats their fourth conference win of the year. Baker had scoring opportunities early, as they had three shots hit off the crossbar. Freshmen Haley Oborny and Christine Janssens scored the two Wildcat goals as Baker out shot Central Methodist 15-5. CMU scored its only goal with 90 seconds left in the game.
“It was a physical game, but we held our composure and did not give in,” Cook said.
Baker also got a win and a tie in a pair of home games last week. The Wildcats beat Avila University 5-0 Oct. 10 and tied McKendree College 3-3 Oct. 7.
“We played sloppy, but we did what we had to against McKendree,” coach Nate Houser said. “We played well and came out intense against Avila.”
The top of the Heart of America Athletic Conference standings are heating up as the end of the season nears. William Jewell College and Graceland University are tied for first place in the conference, both with a 5-0 record. Baker is right behind the two and Benedictine College is also close with a record of 3-1-1.
Houser said that at the end of the day, it is about winning conference games, and it is a matter of learning from the previous games to use for the last four games.
Baker’s only conference loss came against William Jewell, and Baker will face Graceland in the final game of the year on Oct. 27.
“The MidAmerica game put us back, but I am confident we will have post season games,” Medlock said.
The next opponent the ‘Cats will face is Benedictine College at 5:30 p.m. today at Liston Stadium in a crucial conference game.
“It would be big to beat them,” Medlock said. “It would show that we can beat the good teams.”