EAST PEORIA, Ill. | EastSide Centre - No.2-Seed
McKendree University women's soccer (16-1-3, 9-1-3 GLVC) captured its fourth Great Lakes Valley Conference tournament title on Sunday afternoon, beating No.4-Seed Lewis, 1-0, at Corwin Clatt Stadium in regular time. With the win, McKendree earned the automatic qualifier bid to the NCAA Division II women's soccer national tournament next weekend. The Bearcats await their seeding fate in the DII selection show on Monday, November 13 at 5:30 PM.
The Bearcats went at the Flyers early and often in the game, firing nine shots in the first 45 minutes while tallying seven corner kicks in the same frame of time. McKendree held off Lewis, holding possession and the line in the Flyers' defensive half. In the 43rd minute of the game, the Bearcats broke out down the sideline with a dish-out to sophomore forward
Abigail Simon from senior midfielder
Katie Spotanski. Simon launched an attempted cross towards the goal with the ball carrying and floating past Lewis' keeper, finding the back of the net. The score was Simon's third of the year while the assist was Spotanski's fourth of the campaign. McKendree took its 1-0 advantage into the halftime intermission.
In the second half, McKendree continued to push, looking for an insurance score as the Bearcats fired seven more shots while adding three more corner kick attempts. McKendree was unable to connect on the second-half chances but effectively disposed of the Flyers' attempts to tie the game, locking up the 2023 GLVC tournament championship crown.
Senior goalkeeper
Abby Tucker grabbed a pair of saves in the victory while adding her ninth shutout this fall.
SCORING
43' | #7
Abigail Simon (3) via #8
Katie Spotanski (4)
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Four Bearcats were named to the GLVC All-Tournament team following the program's fourth tournament title.
#1
Abby Tucker | Senior | Goalkeeper
#8
Katie Spotanski | Senior | Midfielder
#14
Morgan Bova | Graduate | Defender
#21
Anna Stiffler | Senior | Forward
PATH TO THE TITLE
10/29 | Clinch the 2-Seed
11/5 | Quarterfinal Revenge
11/9 | All-GLVC Honors
11/10 | Finals Berth
NOTES
McKendree women's soccer earned its fourth GLVC tournament championship on Sunday, defeating the fourth-seeded Lewis Flyers, 1-0. McKendree's previous tournament titles came in 2016, 2017, and 2021 (spring).
With the win, the Bearcats locked up a seventh-straight appearance in the NCAA tournament with the first appearance coming in 2016.
Sophomore forward
Abigail Simon fired the first game-winner of her career with the 43rd-minute goal in the GLVC title bout. Simon notched her third goal of the year while it was her fourth career score.
Senior midfielder
Katie Spotanski dished out her fourth assist of the 2023 campaign. The second-team All-GLVC selection now has 18 points this fall with seven goals and four assists.
Senior goalkeeper
Abby Tucker collected two saves in the championship game while also adding her 11th overall and ninth solo shutout.
UP NEXT | NCAA DII National Tournament
McKendree women's soccer earned the GLVC's automatic qualifier bid to the national tournament with the tournament win. The Bearcats will learn their seeding and regional site fate in the selection show on Monday night at 5:30 PM.
The NCAA DII selection show will be live on the NCAA website front page.
