OTTAWA, Kan. - After finding themselves down 1-0 to Sterling in the eighth minute, Ottawa rallied for a 4-1 win as a pair of
Reece Young goals bookended strikes from
Laura Quijada and
Lily Martin on Saturday afternoon in the regular season finale. The Braves again had a chance to rotate all three goalkeepers through the match, with
Lillian Maynard earning her first career win.
Ottawa had the best of the possession through the early part of the match but Sterling found a goal against the run of play in the eighth minute, as Preslie Reffel was able to slot one into the top corner past
Makena Tapia.
The Braves had a chance for an equalizer in the ninth minute, as Natalie Schiavone brought
Laura Quijada down in the box as she was breaking in on goal. Quijada wasn't able to fool Hardman with the runup as the Sterling keeper read the shot and made the save.
Ottawa made no mistake in the 15th minute, however, as
Melissa Grohmann spotted a seam in the Sterling defense and was cued by Young's run to send a perfect pass in stride. Young collected and shot the ball top shelf past the outstretched hands of Hardman.
Cennet Donahue forced a tentative save by Hardman in the 18th minute, hitting a left-footed blast from the top corner of the 18-yard box that was parried to ground by Hardman.
Quijada would find net for Ottawa in the 34th minute, with Young and Grohmann getting involved in the finish as well. The Braves put together a series of passes building through the midfield, with Grohmann collecting the ball just in front of the restraining arc. She played it wide to Young who immediately touched Quijada in on goal for the near-post finish.
Young nearly claimed her second of the match in the 45th minute, but aggressive goalkeeping from Hardman kept Sterling within reach, as she raced off her line and was able to slide to cut out Young's shot from the top corner of the 18-yard box.
Young created Ottawa's third goal of the match, as the Braves earned a corner kick in the 68th minute as Hardman chased down a long ball and pushed it across the end line. The inswinging service fell through a crowd to
Lily Martin who made quick work of the finish.
The Braves added a fourth in the 88th minute, as
Charlotte Gatehouse raced past her defender before sending a cross back from the end line. Young slipped her defender to poke it home near post.
With the win, Ottawa finishes the regular season with a 7-6 record, tied for sixth with Tabor College. The Braves earned the no. 7 seed in the KCAC Women's Soccer Tournament and will be on the road Wednesday, Nov. 4 for a quarterfinal matchup. Their opponent will be determined following the conclusion of the match between Avila and Kansas Wesleyan, which was postponed to Sunday, Nov. 1.
