Radford Wins 2022 Women's Soccer Championship
By Radford Athletics
MATTHEWS, N.C. – The Radford women's soccer program powered their way to a 3-0 Big South Championship victory on Sunday afternoon over Gardner-Webb, the eighth in program history and the most in Big South histry. It was the fifth straight shutout victory for the Highlanders who battled to make the postseason, battled to make the championship match, and didn't let up on the biggest stage of the season.
It was a wet morning at the Matthews SportsPlex, leading to an abnormally muggy game for early November. Despite playing in weather conditions thirty degrees cooler just over a week ago, the Highlanders were unaffected.
BOX SCORE
Just five minutes into the game the Highlanders drew a foul about 20 yards out from the net. Helena Willson stepped up to take the shot for the Highlanders and fired it overtop the goalie and got an incredible tip-in by the crossbar. The games' referees would go to video replay before confirming that the Highlanders would indeed take the 1-0 lead.
With how the defense has been playing down the stretch for the Highlanders, it was all the team would need. 520 straight scoreless minutes by the elite back line were capped off in today's championship. Gardner-Webb, owning one of the conference's top-scoring offenses, did not make it easy.
Held scoreless through the first 45 minutes, the Runnin' Bulldogs came out of the locker room for the second half and mounted an all-out attack on the Highlanders. The opponents got off multiple shots and corner kicks with Jordan Phillips securing saves on each except for one team save thanks to Saleena Lynch to keep things scoreless.
Facing a relentless attack, the skies broke open and the rain began to pour. An already slick surface became even more slick. Radford found an opening as Kat Parris slipped through the defense and passed it deep down field to Paige Olson who was quickly sprinting past the defensive back line. Olson found Katelyn O'Donnell wide open in the middle of the box and O'Donnell wasted no time firing a shot into the back of the net to double the lead at 2-0.
The back-breaking goal came at a crucial time for the Highlanders. The goal broke up Gardner-Webb's attack and it would never really recover through the final 30 minutes. Four minutes later, Radford would put the game even further out of reach.
Willson lined up for another free kick, this time just past the midfield line. Willson wisely didn't take the shot and instead found the electric Parris with space in the box. Parris put on a spin move and nailed the Highlanders' third goal of the afternoon. That 3-0 advantage would hold the rest of the way as the Highlanders left no doubt.
The rain moved on and the sun broke the clouds for the first time all day as the Highlanders rushed the field, victorious. Head coach Ben Sohrabi lifted the Big South tournament trophy over his head for the eighth time in his career, securing what will also be the Highlanders' ninth NCAA Tournament trip.
With the win today, the Highlanders remain unbeaten in the friendly neutral confines of the Matthews SportsPlex in North Carolina. The 2022 season was the third season the Big South hosted the tournament in Matthews, N.C., and Radford has won all six matches on the turf with three tournament championships. All three tournament championships were also against Gardner-Webb.
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Helena Willson, Radford (MVP)
Amy Swain, Radford
Katelyn O’Donnell, Radford
Jillian Silverstone, Radford
Carina Leal, Gardner-Webb
Alli Varga, Gardner-Webb
Marina Bradic, Gardner-Webb
Cora Brendle, USC Upstate
Emily Sanders, USC Upstate
Mary Tierney, Campbell
Cazzi Norgren, Campbell
The Highlanders will await their tournament selection which will be announced by the NCAA at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 7.