Box Score THE UNIVERSITY OF ANTELOPE VALLEY FORFEITS THIS GAME FOLLOWING COMPLETION OF THE SEASON . 7/5/2018
LANCASTER, Calif. - The 8th ranked Ottawa University Arizona women's soccer team fell on Tuesday evening at the University of Antelope Valley by a final of 3-1 at the Antelope Valley High School Soccer Field in Lancaster, California.
With the loss, the 8th ranked Spirit fall to 6-4 overall on the season. With the victory, the University of Antelope Valley Pioneers; who are currently receiving votes in the latest NAIA Top 25 Coaches' Poll, improve to 8-3 overall on the season.
"Going into the game tonight, we knew that UAV was a really good team," said OUAZ head women's soccer coach Skelly Kellar. "They move the ball extremely well and are dangerous in front of the goal. They throw a lot of numbers forward, so our goal was to catch them on the counter."
Kellar continued, "Our defending was some of the best we have seen and as the game grew, we grew in confidence with it. I am proud of the fight and organization the girls showed tonight. It was the first time that we have faced a ranked opponent. We still have a lot of growing to do, but I thought we managed the game well enough. We need to focus on the next one and continue to build forward."
Antelope Valley jumped on the Spirit in the 15th minute on Tuesday, when Adriana Zuniga found Lucy Martinez for the game's first goal. That goal lead would hold and the Pioneers would take the 1-0 advantage into the halftime break.
In the second half, Antelope Valley would strike for two more goals. Bianca Gonzalez found Eva Rivas to give the Pioneers a 2-0 advantage in the 51st minute. Then in the 77th minute, the Pioneers added a third goal when Daesha Brown found Adriana Zuniga to put the game out of reach.
OUAZ would respond with a goal in the 86th minute, when Tori McClelland (JR/Colorado Springs, CO) found Carley Cope(JR/Gilbert, AZ) to put the Spirit on the board. However Antelope Valley would go on to claim the 3-1 victory.
Earlier in the day Tuesday, the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) announced their Top-10 weekly rankings, with the Spirit women's soccer team moving from 10th in the Nation, to being ranked in a tie for 8th in the Nation.
"I am so proud of the girls and all of their hard work," said Kellar. "We have gone through a lot of adversity, and through that these girls have just stuck together and come together as a team. They have grown immensely over the season, not only in their play but also as women."
Kellar continued, "We continue to strive to be humble through this and give back our talents and abilities to the one who gave it. This is an incredible honor and we are blessed to be here."
The 8th ranked Spirit return to the pitch this Thursday, when they travel to San Marcos, California to face the Saint Katherine College Firebirds. The men will get things started at 11am, with the women to follow at 1pm.
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About Ottawa University
Founded in 1865, Ottawa University prepares professional and liberal arts graduates for lifetimes of personal significance, vocational fulfillment and service to God and humanity within a Christ-inspired community of grace and open inquiry. Ottawa University is a comprehensive, not-for-profit educational institution serving 3,000 students through its residential campuses in Ottawa, Kan., and Surprise, Ariz., and adult campuses in Overland Park, Kan.; Phoenix, Queen Creek and Surprise, Ariz.; Brookfield, Wis.; Jeffersonville, Ind.; as well as online. For more information, visit www.ottawa.edu.
For more information about OUAZ athletics, visit http://www.ottawa.edu/ouaz/athletics. Follow OUAZ athletics on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/OUAZSpiritAthletics/ and on Twitter twitter.com/OUAZSpirit.
