COUNCIL BLUFF, Iowa — The Motlow Bucks battled to the end Saturday against No. 1 ranked Iowa Western, but when the final horn sounded, the Reivers escaped with a 3-1 win over the Bucks and advanced to the NJCAA Women’s Soccer National Championship.
Motlow (13-3-3) earned a spot in the Central District Championship game for the third consecutive year after winning their third straight TCCAA/Region 7 regular season and tournament championships. Over the last three years, Motlow’s combined record is 42-12-4, including 19-1-1 against TCCAA conference opponents.
“This was a phenomenal group of student-athletes,” said Head Coach Andy Lyon. “Not only in terms of talent and perseverance, but also the team spirit was exceptional. They pushed each other to be the best that they could be and supported each other along the way.”
Iowa Western (14-0) is undefeated the last two seasons, winning the national championship last year and advancing to their third straight national tournament. The Reivers beat the Bucks 5-0 in the season opener back on Aug. 19.
Defensive battle in district championship
Both defenses were stout in the first 30 minutes, limiting scoring opportunities. The Reivers scored their first goal at the 30:09 mark and took a 1-0 lead into the intermission. They came out firing in the second half, scoring at 47:28 and 51:49.
Motlow got on the scoreboard at 84:08, with Winchester freshman Libby Vincent getting the goal on assists from Smyrna freshman Camden Prosser and Murfreesboro sophomore Alysa Benton.
Freshman Alina Arneth, from Germany, played the entire 90 minutes at goalkeeper, notching eight saves while allowing the three goals. In addition to Vincent’s goal, Motlow also got shots from Benton and English sophomore Ellie Kirk, with both being on goal.
Jones finishes as season leading scorer
Belize sophomore Kaite Jones finishes the season as Motlow’s leading scorer with nine goals. Prosser scored eight goals and led the Bucks with eight assists. Benton scored six goals with five assists, Kirk had four goals with five assists, Florida sophomore Alexis McMath scored three goals with seven assists, and Smyrna freshman Kinley Buena scored four goals with one assist.
In their first season having a home field, the Bucks have not lost on it, winning seven of the nine matches played with two ties. They averaged 16 shots a game on the season, scoring 2.47 goals per game. Goalkeeping was outstanding, with Arneth, Manchester sophomore Lucy Riddle, and Cookeville sophomore Leigha Resendiz combining to allow less than one goal per game.
Motlow State Community College competes on the Division I level in baseball, softball, women’s soccer, men’s basketball, and women’s basketball. The Bucks are a member of the Tennessee Community College Athletic Association (TCCAA) and compete in Region 7 of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). To learn more about the Motlow State Women’s Soccer Program, click here. •
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