Jennies Soccer Wins First Ever National Championship

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Dec. 2, 2017)-- Top-ranked Central Missouri Jennies Soccer finished the 2017 season undefeated at 26-0 and won their first ever National Championship as they defeated the No. 2 Carson-Newman Eagles 5-3 in a shootout after a 1-1 tie in regulation Saturday afternoon at Swope Soccer Village.

How It Happened
• It was a National Championship game, so things were tough for both teams as to be expected. The Jennies were held scoreless for all but 30 seconds of the game by the Eagles (21-1-1). Despite playing from behind for the just the second time this season, the Jennies still put up more shots than Carson-Newman.
• The Jennies outshot the Eagles 30-19 with two more shots on frame, 10-8. The game was not easy any point for either team on offense as it was scoreless until the 19th minute when Lauren Wade got the Eagles on the board. She handled a quick pass from Holly Talbut-Smith and Catarina Realista and popped the ball over Ana Dilkes head to give Carson-Newman the 1-0 lead.
• The Eagles held the 1-0 lead for the rest of the first period. The Jennies continued to apply pressure and took numerous shots in the half, but did not find the back of the net. Carson-Newman held the halftime lead 1-0 and was the first team to lead UCM at halftime in 26 games. UCM did outshoot the Eagles 11-5 overall, but was outshot on net 4-3 in the half.
• Both teams came out in the second period still looking to be a force on offense. Despite being up 1-0, Carson-Newman tried to cushion their 1-0 lead knowing the Jennies wanted to capitalize and tie the game.
• Baylie Edwards and Makayla Toth each had shots inside the box in the 54th and 55th minute respectively, but both were blocked as the Jennies missed chances to tie the game. Megan Woolley played a header in the 72nd minute, but Jacqueline Burns grabbed the save. The Eagles did not let the Jennies score for nearly the entire game.
• The Eagles had two opportunities to add a second goal late in the game, but Dilkes came up big both times with saves with under 10 minutes remaining to keep it a one-goal game. 
• As the game clock got to under one minute to play in regulation, the Jennies trailed 1-0 still and it seemed the season was over, but Jada Scott and her teammates refused to quit. Scott got inside the right of the box and was fouled while looking to score with 30 seconds left to play, which set her up for the penalty kick attempt. She nailed it and the Jennies had another shot at winning a National Championship.
• Neither team found the back of the net in both overtime periods, but had their opportunities. The game went to a shootout. Since the game was for a national title, the game did not go down as a draw per NCAA rules, and there was going to be one winner and one loser.
• Edwards got things started for UCM in the shootout. She nailed her shot to give the Jens a 1-0 lead, but the Eagles tied it back up at 1-1. Scott retook the lead, 2-1, but Carson-Newman tied it back up at 2-2. Kayla Hamner kept the ball rolling and got UCM up 3-2, but again the Eagles tied it at 3-3.
• Haley Freeman made sure UCM kept the momentum on their side with a made shot to make it 4-3. Dilkes proved yet again why she was the best goalkeeper in Division II when she got a stop against Talbut-Smith's shootout attempt. Abby Rhodes approached the line and sent her shot and Burns managed to get a hand on it, but it bounced and landed in net for UCM to seal the shootout win 5-3.
 
Jennies Stat Leaders
• Scott led Jennies offensive attack posting a game-high 10 shots. Only two came on frame and she was the only Jen to score a goal.
• Edwards and Rhodes each had six shots apiece. Edwards put three shots on the frame while Rhodes had two.
• Woolley had three shots overall, with two coming on goal. Toth finished the day with two shots, with one going on frame.
• In net, Dilkes grabbed seven saves for the Jennies to finish the season 26-0-0 while allowing just five goals all season.

For the Eagles
• Wade had the lone goal for Carson-Newman while putting up six shots, four of which that came on goal.
• Realista was second on the team in shots with four overall while having two come on goal.
• Magda Mosengo finished with three shots, but did not connect any of them on frame.
• Burns collected nine saves in net for the Eagles.

News and Notes
• The Jennies National Championship win is their first ever in program history. With the win the Jennies improve to 14-7-3 all-time in the NCAA postseason and 14-6-3 under Lewis Theobald.
• Rhodes and Dilkes were named the Most Outstanding Offensive and Defensive Player of the NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Championships. Those two along with Scott, Hamner, and Taylor Thompson were named to the All-Tournament Team.
• UCM's 26 wins this season are not only the most in program history, but it is now the most in NCAA-II history. The previous mark was 25 wins set by Metropolitan State-Denver in 2004. The Jens 26 consecutive wins also ties the program record for overall consecutive wins.
• UCM finishes the season allowing just five goals and posting 21 shutouts. Their 21 shutouts tied the Division II record set by Grand Valley State in 2015 and 2013.
• UCM has scored at least one goal in 59 straight games now. It is already a program and MIAA record.
• The Jennies 89 goals and 223 points are the most in UCM history. The previous mark for both was 72 goals and 172 points set in 2015 and 2014, respectively.
• With Saturday's win Lewis Theobald is now 198-27-18 at UCM. He needs just two more wins to reach 200 for his career.
• The Jennies finish the 2017 season leading Division II in shutouts (21), least goals allowed (5), shutout percentage (.810), save percentage (.949), and goals against average (.190).

Up Next
UCM Athletics will have a pep rally celebration for the National Champion Jennies Soccer team this Monday, Dec. 4, at 6 p.m. in the UCM Multipurpose Building.