Lima, OH – The Aquinas College women's soccer team suffered a disappointing 1-0 loss to the University of Northwestern Ohio Wednesday afternoon in the championship game of the WHAC tournament. The Saints, who defeated UNOH during the regular-season, had their five-game winning streak snapped as they now prepare for the NAIA national tournament. Despite the defeat, Aquinas received an automatic berth to nationals by reaching the tournament finals and playing the regular season champions.
UNOH 1, Aquinas 0
The Saints had already secured a berth to the national tournament but were aiming for the coveted WHAC tournament championship as they faced the top-seeded Racers.
Unfortunately, Aquinas fell short after being held in check by the UNOH defense and failing to score a goal for the first time since an Oct. 15 loss to Siena Heights.
The Saints had a season-low two shots on goal and only produced two shots in the second half.
Atter a scoreless first half, UNOH delivered the eventual game-winning tally in the 61st minute.
After a foul on Aquinas, a long ball soared in front of the net and was headed in by Ella Beaton-Hill before goalie Kayla Shuk could grab the ball.
Olivia Bowling and Kiersen Korienek had one shot on goal apiece for the Saints.
Inside the Numbers
- Senior goalie Kayla Shuk recorded three saves in the loss.
- Aquinas was outshot 12-9 and had only two shots on goal.
- The Saints lost for the first time since Oct. 15, against Siena Heights.
- Aquinas had only one corner kick compared to seven for UNOH.
Coach's Comments
Head coach Jenna Smith after the loss: "We felt confident going into the game after how we finished the season and how we've been playing the last few games, but it's always a good battle with UNOH and the game can fall either way when you play them. It's a disappointing result, but always grateful to play in a final and we will take what we can from this game and carry that into the opening round of nationals. We still have a lot to give and this team is ready to bounce back and go again."
Up Next
The Saints (11-6-1) will find out on Friday night who their opening-round opponent is in the NAIA national tournament, scheduled for Nov. 20-22. Fans are encouraged to visit AQSaints.com throughout the season for live stats, stories, and recaps.
NOTE: Dean Holzwarth, serving as the Senior AQSaints Athletics Reporter & Content Specialist for AQSaints.com, brings decades of journalistic precision and storytelling flair to the Saints' media efforts. Previously, he covered high school sports for ten years at Grand Rapids–based WOOD-TV, following a 16-year tenure in sports reporting with the Grand Rapids Press and MLive. His deep experience in capturing the heartbeat of local athletics now fuels his engaging coverage of Aquinas College sports.
