Remarkable Effort & Journey Ends with Overtime Loss
FOLEY, Ala. – The Bethel Lady Wildcats faced the defending NAIA National Champion Spring Arbor Cougars Tuesday morning in the NAIA Championship Round of 16 Tuesday in Foley, Alabama.
The Cats were deemed by some as the big underdog against the undefeated and No. 2 ranked (19-0-2) Cougars. On paper, it was David versus Goliath. The Spring Arbor program had won three national titles. Bethel's best finish in the championship was a Final Eight appearance in 2004.
None of those thoughts or facts bothered a Bethel squad that was on a mission for themselves, their coach Misty Aird and their injured Goalkeeper Alicia Perez.
The Lady Wildcats fought with heart and determination and a sensational defense to say the least.
After a first period that saw the teams combine for 13 fouls in a physical match-up, they fought to a scoreless first 45 minutes. Neither squad backed off in a half that saw Spring Arbor out-shoot Bethel 6-0. The Cougars had eight corner kicks to Bethel's one.
The Cougars broke the tie in the 57th minute on a score by Jocelyn Hendricks but the Lady Cats were not shaken as Audrey LaRue got the rebound off the crossbar just two minutes later as the game was knotted at 1-1. It was LaRue's team leading 12th goal of the season.
Those goals would be the only scores in regulation. Through the first 90 minutes, the Cougars had a 16-2 advantage in shots, a 4-1 margin in shots on goal and a 17-2 advantage in corner kicks. Remarkably, with an inexperienced goalkeeper, the Lady Cats were able to overcome all of that and send the match to overtime.
Spring Arbor's second leading scorer on the season, Isa Martinez gave the Cougars a 2-1 lead in the first overtime.
Neither squad scored in the second overtime and the Lady Cats saw their remarkable journey come to a close at 11-3-4.
Spring Arbor finished with a 20-3 advantage in shots, a 5-2 margin in shots on goal and a 19-12 advantage in corner kicks. The Cougars finished one corner kick away from tying the record for most corners taken in a single game set back in 2010. The squads finished with a whopping 28 fouls.
Bethel's Nastasha Dudley, filling in for the injured Perez, was great in net with three saves.