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Site: Grand Rapids, Mich. (DU Turf Field)
Score: No. 10 Davenport 0, Northwestern Ohio 0 (DU wins shootout 4-3)
Records: DU (17-2-1), UNOH (15-6-1)
Next DU event: TBA – NAIA Tournament First Round
 
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The No. 10 Davenport women's soccer team is going back to nationals; and the Panthers had to do it in familiar fashion.
 
After the Panthers and Northwestern Ohio went scoreless for 110 minutes in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Tournament final, the conference's automatic bid to the NAIA Tournament had to be decided in a shootout. Four Panthers found the back of the net while keeper Michelle Marcus made two stops and one went high helped the Panthers clinch their second straight WHAC Tournament trophy and punch a ticket back to the NAIA National Championship with a 4-3 shootout victory.
 
The Panthers find out Monday at 3 p.m. EST where they are headed to open the first round of the NAIA National Championship during the selection show.
 
It is the second straight season the WHAC Tournament crown had to be decided in a shootout as DU beat Indiana Tech 4-1 last season after playing to a 3-3 draw.
 
After Northwestern Ohio's Sara Olofsson stopped Paige Eli's shot to start the shootout, Taryn Pardoe beat Marcus for the 1-0 lead. Shameeka Fishley evened the score and Marcus stopped Anja Koempel to keep it 1-1 after two attempts. Tam Grzybowski followed and put Davenport ahead of UNOH 2-1 while Marcus blocked Nadine Stonjek's shot to preserve the lead after three. Olofsson kept the Racers alive by stopping Thelma Gylfadottir's shot and Jade Widdows tied it up again 2-2. After Abbey Tyson and Sarah Huchet were both successful in the fourth round, Lizzie Paul connected the fourth goal and Hannah Baines' shot went over the crossbar to secure the Panthers win.
 
While Davenport outshot Northwestern Ohio 18-10 in both regulation and overtime, both teams each had to make six saves. The England tandem of Letesha Cannonier and Paige Eli both led the Panthers with five shots each, with two of Cannonier's shots on goal. The Panthers defense also held WHAC Newcomer of the Year and conference leading scorer Frida Bremer to no shots.
 
DU had several opportunities during regulation to break the ice. In the first half, Lizzie Paul took a shot about 35 yards out that arched underneath the crossbar but Olofsson made a one-handed punch to send the ball out of bounds. Another opportunity came within the final minute of regulation, when Letesha Cannonier couldn't capitalize in the goal box to score into an uncovered spot in the net.
 
Post-Match Notes
Davenport is now 0-1-1 against Northwestern Ohio…Davenport improves to 17-0-2 in the last 19 matches at DU Turf Field…Michelle Marcus is credited just her second career tie at Davenport, the other being against Indiana Tech in the WHAC Tournament final last season.
 
Women's Soccer Contact: Rick Hoskin | 616-871-6180 | rhoskin@davenport.edu
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