ASUN conference rematch ends in 1-1 stale mate
Lipscomb’s Women’s Soccer team draws 1-1 in a rematch against Queens University on Oct. 22 at the Lipscomb Soccer Complex. The Bisons defeated the Royals just 11 days ago, when junior midfielder Tatum Ahlemeyer scored her team-leading fifth goal of the season to give Lipscomb a 1-0 win. The Royals shocked the Bisons with a second-half equalizer in a crucial late-season ASUN conference matchup.
With the regular season coming down to the wire, Queens came into the game with its postseason hopes hanging by a thread with a 1-5-1 record. This placed them 7th in the ASUN on the outside looking in on the playoffs and they needed at least a tie to keep their hopes alive.
Lipscomb entered with a 2-3-2 conference record which placed them 6th in the conference. With only a few more games left, the Bisons need 2 more wins to confidently secure a fourth, fifth or sixth seed in the ASUN tournament to defend their conference title from last season.
Both teams entered the game near the bottom of the ASUN in goals scored and the game started very slowly as both sides struggled to generate shooting opportunities. The Royals created early pressure, earning a corner at 13th minute and putting shots from sophomore midfielder Addison Mello and freshman forward Franny Smith on goal, both saved by junior goalkeeper Sundell “Sunnie” Woodard.
The Bisons then answered with two attempts in less than a minute, including a shot from sophomore forward Skylar Cole that was saved by senior goalkeeper Emily Protiva. In the 28th minute senior forward Jane-Simone Prejean sent a beautiful cross inside the box. Redshirt junior forward Annalise Cannada received the ball and sent a shot on goal.
Protiva was able to get a hand on the ball but Cole got the rebound and sent a strike into the back of the net. Cole picked up her first goal of the season to put the Bisons up 1-0. Woodard added saves from two shots from the Royals as the Bisons held the lead into halftime.
It was quite a defensive battle through the first half as there was only 9 shot attempts from both sides combined. Playing with a 1-0 lead, the Bisons generated the early chances after halftime. They created shots from Cole, sophomore midfielder Keely O’Brien and Prejean along with a corner kick before the 51st minute.
Queens built pressure with two shots and two corner kicks between the 60th and 64th minute and showed a change in aggression. The Royals continued the intensity when freshman defender Cerys Neil sent a lofted through ball behind the Lipscomb back line. Sophomore forward Grace Acevedo then sends a rocket past Woodard to tie the game 1-1.
The Bisons answered with a stretch of pressure that included a saved Ahlemeyer shot at 68th and five attempts from the 74th to 77th minute, including freshman midfielder Olivia Strong hitting the right woodwork. Woodard made three saves during a late Queens push, and the Bisons took five shots from the 84th till time ran out and the match finished tied 1-1.
Cole scored and led the Bisons with seven shots, putting two on goal. Woodard played all 90 minutes and added 7 more saves to her season. She currently ranks second in the ASUN with 68 saves.
“I think she’s shown stability, consistency day in and day out and the way she plays but also the way she carries herself,” Coach Paulsen on Woodard’s season after the game.
Queens gets a huge draw for them as the point they received in the conference keeps their playoff hopes alive. The Royals will take on Bellarmine on Oct. 25 as they try to hold on in the ASUN.
Lipscomb could have benefited greatly from a conference win this game but they will have to settle for a tie.
“I think we created quality opportunities. I think we need to continue to find a way to put them away,” Coach Paulsen said, “but I was encouraged by the attacking ideas we had and that we created chances.”
All remaining games are crucial in for conference standings. Paulsens Bisons will have a quick turnaround as they will play West Florida back at home on Oct. 25.
Featured Image courtesy of Lipscomb Athletics
Andreas Rizzi
Andreas Rizzi is a junior communication major from Chicago and Michigan. He brings a lifelong passion for sports and loves to call all sports while working as an analyst for ESPN+ on Lipscomb's campus. Andreas hopes to one day become an MLB broadcaster and become an analyst for the YES or MLB network.
