MARSHALL, Mo. — The No. 24 John Brown University women’s soccer team used a goal in each half and a strong performance in goal to open the 2018 campaign with a 2-0 win over Missouri Valley on Saturday (Aug. 18) night at Gregg-Mitchell Field.

Behind sophomore Caitlyn Logan’s second-career clean sheet and senior Jastin Redman’s three-point night, the Golden Eagles (1-0-0) improved to 11-5-1 in season openers.

Despite being out-shot 8-7 in the contest, JBU held in check Missouri Valley’s leading scorer from last season, Julia Mejias, who attempted four shots, but only one finding goal, which Logan handled.

With MVC (0-1-0) applying early pressure, the Golden Eagles jumped to a 1-0 lead in the 13th minute when sophomore Emily Jordan’s corner kick landed in the box, right at the foot of Redman, who one-touched a shot just inside the far right post from six yards out.

Redman’s 47th career goal handed the upstart visitors the lead, and for good. It was Redman’s 13th career game-winner.

Fighting through a half in which the hosts held a 5-2 shooting advantage at the intermission, John Brown again responded early in the second half to double its lead.

Just 10 minutes into the second half, senior Aspen Carpenter netted her first of the season, from Redman, when she ripped an attempt from the top of the 18 that found the upper right corner, beating MVC keeper Summer Budaj, adding an insurance marker for the visitors.

Although armed with a 2-0 advantage, the Golden Eagles countered the Viking first-half effort by out-shooting the hosts 5-3 in the second half. The stellar JBU defense held MVC to just two shot attempts over the final 25 minutes of play.

Logan matched her single-game career high with five saves, earning the full-match victory in goal.

Freshmen Alair Love and Vanessa Reynoso each made their collegiate debuts for John Brown.

JBU will now travel to Columbia, Mo. this evening and rest tomorrow before taking on No. 10 Columbia at R. Marvin Owens Stadium on Monday (Aug. 20) at 5 p.m.

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SILOAM SPRINGS – The top Golden Eagle scorers came through in the second half for a pair of goals, fueling the No. 14 and top-seeded John Brown University women’s soccer team to a 2-0 win over third-seeded Science & Arts (Okla.) in the Sooner Athletic tournament finals on Friday evening at Alumni Field.

With the victory, the Golden Eagles (18-1-1) not only earn its first tournament crown since 2013, but secure its fourth-ever spot in the NAIA National Championships. The national selection show will take place on Monday morning.

“That was an awesome team win,” head coach Kathleen Paulsen said. “The things we’ve been working on all year, we executed it. It’s rewarding when we get to do something like this together. It gives us a sense of unity. This is a really special group.

“I couldn’t be more proud. What they accomplished together is bigger than wins and losses, it’s together, seeking to honor God in the way they approach the game. We are looking forward to another game and another opportunity.”

The win for John Brown was its 14th-consecutive win, continuing a program-record winning streak. Last season, the Golden Eagles fell in penalty kicks at Science & Arts in the title game in Chickasha, ending JBU’s hopes of making the National Championships.

Paulsen has now guided the Golden Eagles to four-consecutive tournament title matches and now sports a 1-1-2 mark in the SAC’s biggest game of the season.

Sophomores Aspen Robinson and Jastin Redman each tallied their 18th goals of the season just two minutes apart in the second half, and senior Kristen Morency didn’t need to make a save the entire match as the JBU back line held the Drovers (12-8-1) to just one shot attempt, which came late in the 82nd minute.

The hosts out-shot the Drovers 12-0 in the first half, but only landed three shots on frame, including senior Sara Lachance’s blast in the 31st minute, prompting USAO keeper Brandi Hutchison to make a leaping save falling back into the goal, tipping the shot over the crossbar to preserve the 0-0 deadlock.

Finally, on its 17th shot of the game, Robinson unleashed her 18th of the season and sixth game-winner in the 55th minute. Junior Sara Frey intercepted a loose ball in the midfield and quickly counter-attacked by slotting the ball through to Robinson. Robinson turned and let go a 35-yard bomb that beat Hutchison just under the crossbar.

Finally, with the ice broken, JBU needed just two more minutes before notching the insurance goal.

With the ball bouncing around the USAO goalmouth, Redman’s initial point-blank shot was stopped by Hutchison and a Drover defender was able to block sophomore Anna Brown’s put-back attempt a moment later. The Golden Eagles needed a third attempt, and with Redman crashing the goal, she buried her 18th of the year, all but assuring victory.

“It was a scrappy goal, but I was able to finally shoot it in the goal,” Redman said. “Finally.”

The Drovers did not register a scoring chance in the match as Morency landed her 11the shutout of the season.

“We’re happy with that win,” Robinson said. “Like Coach (Paulsen) said, it was a team victory.”

Robinson finished the match with eight shot attempts while Redman peppered six towards the Drover net. Sophomore Melody Hagen added three shots and Lachance attempted two more.

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SILOAM SPRINGS – The first goal came quickly, but the insurance goal did not, as the No. 16 and top-seeded John Brown University women’s soccer team battled the elements and fourth-seeded St. Gregory’s (Okla.), finally landing a 2-0 victory and a trip to the Sooner Athletic tournament championship game on Monday evening at Alumni Field.

Sophomore Jastin Redman recorded goals in the sixth and 85th minutes, providing an early game winner and a late insurance marker, propelling the Golden Eagles (17-1-1) to its fourth-consecutive championship game.

In the other semifinal, third-seeded Science & Arts knocked off favorites second-seeded Texas Wesleyan, 1-0, on a late goal by Shannon Greenway in a scramble in front of the goal.

The matchup with the Drovers (12-7-1) will come as a rematch of the 2015 edition, however, the venue will change. Last season, despite Melody Hagen’s goal late in the regulation to tie the match at one, JBU dropped a penalty kick decision at Drover Pitch.

In tonight’s match, upstart St. Gregory’s (10-8-0) produced the first scoring chance just moments into the game as the JBU back line was adjusting to the slick surface. After the ball skipped past the defense, Abi Housecroft let go a shot that mandated senior Kristen Morency make an early-match save, helping set the tone.

After the initial save by Morency, the Golden Eagle back line did not allow another Cavalier shot attempt as the hosts maintained ball possession for the remainder of the contest, but also had to battle the constant rain that refused to leave Alumni Field.

John Brown capitalized early however, when sophomore Anna Brown’s centering pass found Redman at the doorstep of the SGU goal. After fighting off her defender, Redman calmly deposited the game winner, her 16th of the year, just 5:02 into the match past keeper Jena Flewelling.

If a 7-1 shooting margin wasn’t enough before the half, the Golden Eagles came out and posted a 12-0 advantage in the second half, but still struggled to put away the equalizer.

The Golden Eagles appeared to have tallied the second goal of the game in the 71st minute, but a late offsides call quickly ended the celebration, forcing JBU to find another goal to put away the Cavaliers.

Finally with just 5:06 left in the match, sophomore Anne Metz played a ball through the middle to Redman, who burned past a pair of defenders and into the box before releasing a shot to the far left post from nine yards out, notching her 17th of the season.

“I knew we would see a completely different team than last time because they were missing a lot of their key players,” said head coach Kathleen Paulsen, referencing John Brown’s 9-0 win over SGU earlier this season. “I think we generally struggled with our through balls that squeaked past us and went for goal kicks, but we really rose above it tonight.”

Morency picked up the win, moving to 15-1-1 on the year, and landed her 10th clean sheet of the year. Flewelling played well in goal for the visitors, making six saves on eight shots, but was dinged with the loss.

The Golden Eagles will now look to make its second trip to the NAIA National Championships in four seasons with a win over USAO. John Brown last went to the big dance in 2013, when it upended top-seeded Oklahoma City in penalty kicks at Stars Field. Since then, JBU has lost the last two title matches, both on the road, including a 1-0 setback at Oklahoma Baptist before last year’s heartbreak in Chickasha, Okla.

Friday’s match, scheduled for 5 p.m., is the first SAC tournament title match to be played at home in program history.

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