HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – The West Alabama women's soccer team has reached the semifinals of the Gulf South Conference Championships for the third straight season following a thrilling win over Delta State in the quarterfinals round. The Tigers will see a familiar face in Mississippi College, as the two teams have played each other each of the past three GSC Championships when they will play again this Friday at 6 p.m. at John Hunt Park in Huntsville.
There will be live video and stats for the game Friday night. Please click here for live video provided by FloSports and click here for live stats. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and can be purchased here.
"Of course, playing a semifinal is exciting and potentially reaching a final is very exciting, but you still have to overcome the semifinal. We've watched Mississippi College play many times and are preparing well for the game. They are an outstanding team, very well coached with a powerful attack," head coach Graeme Orr said. "In the end, it's a playoff game and we're playing against a top opponent. We'll give 100 percent to try and create history for the program."
UWA advanced to the semifinals after defeating Delta State in penalty kicks this past Sunday in Livingston. Mikayla Anderson opened the scoring in the 21st minute and after DSU tied the game in the 25th minute, they would play a 1-1 draw all the way until the end. In penalty kicks, Venla Makela, Dana Cruz and Maria Mon all tallied goals on the first three attempts. Mon was able to make a couple of saves and then Paige Laidler won it for the Tigers when she scored in the fifth round for the 4-2 victory.
"I am very proud of the team's work in the Delta State game, it was a huge win," Mon said. "It was excellence from every player and also from the people that came to the game really gave us a lift. Now it's time to show what we are capable of against Mississippi College. It's an incredible opportunity for us and we're ready to try and make history for this program."
The Choctaws advanced with a dominating 3-0 home win over Christian Brothers in the quarterfinals round. Despite holding a 14-3 shot advantage in the first half, the Choctaws were only ahead 1-0 at the break. They then added a pair of goals in the second half to run away with the win. MC held a big 26-5 shot advantage, including 12-1 on target.
Mississippi College went 14-3-1 overall on the season and 10-2-1 in conference play to finish second. UWA and MC faced each other back on Sep. 25 in Clinton, Miss., with the Choctaws claiming the 3-0 victory. MC held the 17-9 shot advantage and 8-2 edge in shots on goal. All three goals were scored over the first 32 minutes of the game.
Last year, the teams played each other in the quarterfinals round of the GSC Championships and UWA won on the road in penalty kicks. The Choctaws held a 34-5 shot advantage and 10-4 on goal, but neither team was able to land a goal. Following a 0-0 battle through the 110 minutes, the teams went seven penalty kick rounds before the Tigers took the victory.
During the shortened 2020 season, the teams played each other in the semifinals of the GSC Spring Championship series and MC took the 2-1 win in Clinton.
UWA has gone 3-8-1 in the series against MC since 2014. The Tigers won the first two meetings in the series and then MC won seven straight in the series until UWA snapped the run with a 1-0 win during the 2021 season. Since that win, the teams are 1-1-1 against each other in the past three meetings.
The Tigers enter the semifinals with an overall record of 10-5-2, scoring 33 goals on 178 shots, with 87 on goal. Opponents have 19 goals on 183 shots, with 95 on goal. Cruz leads the offense with 20 points, coming away with seven goals and six assists. Laidler has 11 points with five goals and an assist. Anderson is now up to nine points, after scoring her third goal of the season to go along with three assists. Anna Dickov posted seven points, with three goals. Aileen Charles and Selis Demirci each has six points, with Charles tallying two goals and two assists and Demirci has a goal and four assists. Camilla Bedin, Emily Callahan and Makela all have two goals on the season. Lucy Horn has played all 1,550 minutes on the back row, while Saylor Richard has played 1,530 minutes. In goal, Mon has started 17 games, posting 11 wins and five shutouts (three solo). She also has 74 saves and a 79.6 save percentage.
"I am beyond proud of this team and our work ethic," Charles said. "Over the season, we have learned to fight through adversity and truly come together as a family. I believe we can show that same fight again this weekend."
UWA ranks second in the GSC in overall points (90) and points per game (5.29). Cruz ranks in a tie for sixth in assists (6), tied for sixth in goals (7), and seventh in points (20). Laidler is ninth in shots on goal (19). Mon is fourth in save percentage (79.6), sixth in saves per game (4.35), seventh in goals against average (1.15) and tied for eighth in shutouts (3).
UWA has reached the GSC Championships each year since 2012, with head coach Graeme Orr there to lead the team each year as he has been the only coach the Tigers have known since their inaugural season of 2011. The Tigers are 4-8-3 since 2012 in the GSC Championships, winning the program's first conference tournament game in 2013 with a 2-0 victory against North Alabama. UWA advanced to the semifinals in 2013, 14, 15, 16, 18, 20, 21 and again this year. The Tigers haven't advanced past the semifinals in program history.
Orr is 115-79-17 during his 12 seasons leading the Tigers, having guided 10 winning seasons over that time. Seven times UWA has won at least 10 victories, with a program-record 14 during the 2014 season. The Tigers won 12 twice in 2018 and 2019, 11 twice in 2013 and 2016 and 10 twice in 2015 and 2022.
Three Tigers were named GSC All-Conference in Cruz (First Team) and both Mon and Laidler (Second Team).
UWA tallied a big win early in the season handing West Florida their only conference loss following the 1-0 victory in Livingston back on Sep. 11. The Tigers enjoyed playing in Livingston this season going 7-0-1. This will be just the second neutral site game of the season, as UWA defeated Edward Waters in Columbus, Ga., back on Aug. 28 by a score of 5-0.
Mississippi College is 14-3-1 overall and went 10-2-1 in GSC play during the regular season. The Choctaws went 9-0 at home and 1-0 in neutral site games, defeating Queens in their only neutral site game back on Aug. 26 that was also played in Columbus, Ga., back on Aug. 26.
Following a loss to Lee on the road back on Sep. 16, MC closed out the regular season going 9-1-1, with their only loss at West Florida and a tie at Delta State. The Choctaws have scored 60 goals on 363 shots, with 196 on goal. Opponents have scored 19 goals on 158 shots, with 70 on target. Erin Hederman leads the team with 37 points, posting 13 goals and 11 assists. Beatrice Currie has 36 points on 15 goals and six assists. Avery Hederman adds 36 points with five goals and 16 assists. Margherita Giubilato, Sofia Eduardo Silva and Kaylee Foster all have four goals apiece. Ashton Storey has led the back row playing 1,433 minutes and Hederman adds 1,405 minutes. In goal, Sara Maleski has started 12 games, collecting 10 wins and eight shutouts (six solo), along with 32 saves and a 78 save percentage. Makayla Hernandez started the most recent game against Christian Brothers and has two wins on the season.
In the other semifinal that will also be played at John Hunt Park in Huntsville will be a matchup with top-seed West Florida and fifth-seed Lee. That game will be played before the UWA/MC game at 3:30 p.m. on Friday. The winning teams will then play each other in the GSC Championship Game that will take place on Sunday, Nov. 6 starting at 12 p.m.
