For the first time in program history, the Briar Cliff women's soccer team are champions of the Great Plains Athletic Conference regular season.
A 2-1 victory over Morningside Saturday at Faber Field secured the GPAC title for the Chargers as the team put together a 10-1-1 conference mark to finish three points above the Mustangs in the league table.
The Chargers started the regular season finale with a bang as
Flor Suarez fired a rocket into the top corner of the goal just 90 seconds into the contest for the 1-0 lead. Quick footwork helped
Taylor Hill through the Morningside midfield and the junior slipped a pass to Suarez, who found the back of the net and her 15th goal of the year.
That 1-0 lead held through the first half but would be doubled early in the second as
Taylor Hill pushed the ball over the goal line early in the second 45 minutes to make the Cliff's lead 2-0.
Morningside converted a penalty kick with three minutes remaining, but Briar Cliff was able to hold off the Mustangs' comeback attempt.
"Today wasn't just about winning the league," said head coach
Paul Cox. "Today was about the journey this program has been on the past three years that brought us to this moment."
Coach Cox took over the Charger women's soccer program in January of 2018 with nine players on the roster. Cox credits those nine players and their commitment to bettering the team as the spark that this season's team is built on.
"Without those nine, none of this would be possible," Cox added. "They bought in to a new way, they bought in to the future of this program when they knew they wouldn't reap any of the rewards. They helped recruit and mold this team and we owe them a lot."
Senior
Ashlea Haag is the only remaining member of that team from January 2018.
The Chargers now look ahead to the spring season as the number one seed in the GPAC Postseason Tournament. The dates for those games are to be determined.
"This group of girls came in and built a culture and team chemistry that is unparalleled. A lot of these girls faced the disappointment last season and came back fighting this year. The new girls came in and added to the culture to make us so much stronger. I'm proud of their efforts as people today!"
This is just the second GPAC title for a Briar Cliff women's team. The first came from the women's golf team in 2017.
#BattleOn
