WICHITA, Kan. - On the road to second-place Friends University, Ottawa continued its run of good form on Wednesday, picking up a 1-0 win over the Falcons on a 77th-minute goal from
Reece Young.
Makena Tapia picked up her second shutout of the year, making three saves in the match.
Ottawa was able to generate the first chance of the match, an 11th-minute effort that went wide off the foot of KCAC Offensive Player of the Week
Charlotte Gatehouse, but the Braves spent much of the first half withstanding pressure from Friends.
The best chance for the Falcons came in the 18th minute, as Elisa Murrietta forced Tapia to parry the ball out for a corner kick that ultimately produced nothing.
After the halftime break, the intensity picked up a bit, with Trinity Granger testing Tapia in the 52nd minute to earn another corner kick off of a save by OU's netminder.
Cennet Donahue was able to create a chance in the 54th minute, but her shot sailed over the crossbar, with Gatehouse also earning a chance in the 68th, going just wide with her attempt.
Ottawa was able to force Kaitlyn Martinez into a save in the 73rd minute after earning a corner kick, with
Rylee Ringer's service finding the foot of
Emma Stillings.
The Braves earned another corner in the 76th minute, but it was handled well by Martinez. As Friends tried to start the counterattack, Ottawa was able to force a turnover and Young took advantage as Martinez had strayed off her goal line, chipping into the back of the net from 40 yards out.
Friends was able to muster one last chance as the Braves hunkered down to weather the storm, but Taylor Dill managed to split a pair of Ottawa defenders to go 1 on 1 with Tapia. The shot was easily handled by Tapia, however, preserving the clean sheet.
With the win and other results around the league, Ottawa currently sits in a three-way tie for sixth with Tabor and Evangel on 18 points, setting up a scenario that could see Ottawa finish as high as sixth.
The Braves wrap up the regular season on Saturday, taking on Sterling College in a 1 p.m. kickoff.
