Asbury (Ky.) wins 2017 RSC Women's Soccer Tournament championship
By Asbury Sports Information
WILMORE – Early in the season, Asbury (Ky.) University women's soccer head coach Brooke Lincoln said the following about her team: "This is a special group, and I'm thrilled to see what's along the journey for us!"
On Saturday, the Eagles proved that statement to be true as the journey led to a River States Conference Tournament championship.
Asbury took control of the game early on its home turf and never looked back in a 3-0 victory over Rio Grande in the tournament finals Saturday afternoon.
"Wow, what a ride!" Lincoln said. "I've said it since preseason there was something about this team. It's one of those things you can't really explain, you just feel it, and you can see the success coming. I'm so happy for our senior class who were able to win a championship before leaving. They are the cornerstone of this team and have sacrificed so much over their four seasons."
The last time the Eagles played in the conference title game was in 2014, when the four seniors were freshmen, and they suffered a 2-0 loss to Rio Grande. This time the roles were reversed.
Senior Mia Wiersema scored the game's first goal on an assist from Emily Hubbuch in the first four minutes of the contest to give the Eagles the early momentum. Hubbuch, the RSC Offensive Player of the Year, netted a goal in the 16th minute and Wiersema tallied her second goal in the 38th minute.
It's the seventh conference championship for the Eagles and the first since 2013 – Lincoln's first year as head coach.
"To win one your first year is special but to do it with your own players you brought in is on a different level of special," Lincoln said. "We are going all going to enjoy this one for a little while!"
Brooke Perkins recorded her second consecutive shutout in goal as AU outscored its opponents 7-0 in the tournament. After tallying two shutouts in their first 14 games, the Eagles held their opponents scoreless in four of their last five games.
The Eagles improved to 14-4-1 overall, tying the school record for most wins in a season (2006 and 2009).
"We've seen so much adversity this year from having two starting center backs quit in mid-July to season-ending injuries and our players rallied around each other through everything," Lincoln said. "They bought into our vision, worked, pushed and confronted and there is not a more deserving group. These kids are family and have stuck by each other all year. I'm honored I get to coach them and be a part of this program.
"I'm convinced behind every good head coach there is an even better assistant and that's true of our coaching staff. I owe so much to my assistants (DeAngelo Wiser and Elyse Overton) and we wouldn't be who we are as a program without them."
Asbury will next play in the NAIA National Championship Opening Round for the third time in program history (2009 and 2013). The opening round will be played Saturday, Nov. 18. The Eagles will find out their opponent Monday at noon when the pairings are announced on the NAIA Selection Show.