WICHITA, Kan. – With just 1:16 left in the first overtime period, it was first-team All-KCAC defender Kylie Lewis coming through on the offensive end with a header into the back of the net for the biggest goal of her career that proved to be the score that sent the Friends University Falcons into the KCAC Championship game tonight (Nov. 8) at Stryker Sports Complex. The Falcons won 2-1 over the Kansas Wesleyan University Coyotes to advance to the conference title game for the second time in the past five seasons while also clinching their third NAIA National Tournament appearance in that same span.
Lewis was in perfect position to head in a free kick from Gianna Honda at the 98:44 mark of the match.
"We knew set pieces were going to be a big factor," said Friends women's soccer head coach Brent Hobson. "Thankfully Kylie got up and scored a great header."
The Falcons then fought off the Coyotes in the second overtime session for their 13th victory of the season, their most wins since winning 15 matches in 2019.
Friends found itself down early when Grace Connor scored off a cross from Leoni Enzlmuller less than four minutes into the match.
The Falcons faced that one-goal deficit through the remainder of the first half and into the second until Yairee Perez capitalized on a scrum in the box to score the tying goal at the 54:04 mark.
"Tough to give up a goal that early, but so proud of the players on how we kept our focus and unity," said Hobson. "I felt like we could've scored a few in the first half after hitting the posts a few times. The second half was stressful at times but thought we controlled the majority of the game."
As Hobson noted, the Falcons controlled the pace and outshot the Coyotes 24-7 overall, with identical 9-3 edges in the first and second halves. Friends also outpaced KWU 13-2 on-goal, led by Hannon Nakagami's 10 shots and five shots-on-goal. Nakagami was unlucky to not score, with two of her shot-attempts bouncing off the crossbar.
Nia Baker made one save for the Falcons, while Allison Blumenthal stayed busy and kept KWU (10-8-2) close with 11 saves.
The Falcons will square off with top-seeded and No. 19-ranked Oklahoma Wesleyan University in the title game Saturday afternoon (Nov. 11) at 4 pm, again at Stryker Sports Complex in Wichita. The Falcons snapped a 10-game losing streak in the series with OKWU with a 1-1 draw in the regular season meeting (Oct. 5) in Bartlesville, Okla. Something will have to give, as neither the Falcons nor the Eagles have lost to a KCAC opponent all season.
Check out the relevant links below on how to purchase tickets and follow the Falcons in the KCAC Women's Soccer championship match on Saturday!
Tickets (Friends University students get in free with ID)
Live Broadcast
KCAC Women's Soccer Tournament Bracket
