PENSACOLA, Fla.- The University of West Alabama Women's Soccer team defeated number one-seeded West Florida in two overtime periods by a score of 1-0 in the first round of the GSC Women's Soccer Championship in Pensacola.
West Florida, ranked ninth in the latest United Soccer Coaches national poll and fourth in the latest NCAA Division II South Region Rankings, falls to 15-2-1 with the loss, ending an eight-match winning streak.
With the win, West Alabama improves to 7-9-2 on the year, giving Head Coach Sam Wilson his first win against a nationally ranked team.
The Tigers showcased exemplary defensive efforts led by goalie Dior Wilson who had a season-high 11 saves to keep the Argos off the board.
West Florida took 28 shots in the match with 11 on goal, while West Alabama took only seven shots with five on target. One of those five would matter, as West Alabama's Aileen Charles scored the game-winning goal in the 107th minute of the match off a deflection of another shot from Venla Makela, giving The Tigers a deciding lead with less than four minutes to go.
The goal by Charles is the first given up by West Florida Since their loss to Lee on Oct. 1, spanning 845 minutes between goals allowed.
Bela Labovic and Emma Beltz led the Argos with three shots on goal apiece.
Tigers Head Coach Sam Wilson was beside himself with pride in his team after the match, "I'm so proud of the girl's fight today. We have preached from day one that we can compete with anyone in the conference and today we showed just that."
Wilson and the Tigers will now travel to Huntsville on Thursday, November 9th to take on the Falcons of Montevallo in the GSc Semifinals. Kickoff is set for 3:00 p.m. at John Hunt Park.
