The Basics

Score: Evangel 2, William Woods 1 | Box Score

Record: Evangel (1-1-0), William Woods (0-1-0)

Location: Springfield, Mo. (Coryell Field)

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Valor Women's Soccer looked to bounce back on Tuesday (Aug. 26) evening at home against William Woods. After falling 3-0 to Williams Baptist, the Valor would trail early against William Woods, but demonstrate exceptional fight and earn a 2-1 come from behind victory to move to 1-1 on the season.

William Woods opened Tuesday's game with aggression on offense, shooting an early shot attempt and earning a corner kick just seven minutes into the game. The Owls would score on the corner, as the ball was not be cleared by the Valor defense, allowing the corner taker to score to give WWU a 1-0 lead. Seven minutes later, Emma Budimlya recorded Evangel's first shot of the evening that hit off the left post, nearly tying the game up. Just a minute later, Ava Campbell earned a free kick and used an exceptional cross that found Anna Crain who buried the ball in the lower left hand corner of the goal to tie the game at 1-1. The Owls recorded three shots over the following 20 minutes, but Amaura Austell would generate the go ahead goal by stealing the ball from the center back and nailing a shot one-on-one with the keeper to push EU ahead, 2-1, at the halftime break.

Evangel opened the second half with a barrage of shot attempts, but could not find the back of the goal to extend their lead. The Owls were able to maintain possession in their offensive half of the field for an extended period of the second half, but the Valor defense kept William Woods from finding the equalizer, using several strong saves from Rylee Clapp and the Evangel back line to maintain their 2-1 lead to the finish.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Amaura Austell and Anna Crain both scored their first goals of the season on Tuesday night.

• Ava Campbell earned her first assist of the year on Crain's goal.

• Rylee Clapp finished her evening with six saves in goal, keeping the Valor lead for 54 minutes.

QUOTABLE

"What a brilliant team win. I love the heart of this team - after conceding we maintained our focus on what we needed to do and scored a brilliant goal to level the score. Ava Campbell's service to Anna Crain was a thing of beauty! Then, Amaura Austell absolutely battling to create her goal was incredible," Women's Soccer Head Coach Bruce Deaton stated. "Even more than that, was how we defended as a team - we focused on that in training yesterday and we committed, every player that is, to put in the work it takes to defend very strongly as a team!! So proud of this team and their work tonight, great team win. Love the energy, on the field and on the sideline!!," 

UP NEXT

Valor Women's Soccer hits the road on Friday (Aug. 29) afternoon to take on Southwestern Christian in Bethany, Oklahoma, at 4:00 p.m.

For the latest information on Evangel Athletics, visit Facebook at Facebook.com/EvangelValor, Twitter (@EvangelValor), or EvangelAthletics.com. Fans can also receive updates on their favorite EU teams by downloading the Evangel Athletics Gameday App through the App Store or Google Play.