Judson wins its first CCAC championship
The Judson University women's soccer team won its first CCAC Tournament championship in program history Saturday, defeating Robert Morris 2-0 at JU's Dawson Field.
Judson (11-5-1) now advances to the NAIA Region VII tournament at Grand View in Iowa. The Eagles are expected to be a No. 1 or 2 seed and will play on Friday. The schedule will be released tonight.
The fourth-seeded Eagles exceeded their low seed with a 3-0 record in the tournament that included a win over top-seeded St. Xavier, a team Judson had never beaten in 10 previous tries.
"I don't think anybody expected us to win," said JU's Samantha Vestal. "I would rather be a team that is doubted and come out on top in the end than a team like St. Xavier who everyone expected to win and then lose."
The Eagles lost their first meeting 4-1 to Robert Morris (10-9-1) earlier in the season, but JU was able to build on the momentum it has going right now.
Vestal found herself in the right place at the right time twice Saturday, scoring both of the Eagles' goals midway through the first half that proved to be enough for the win.
Vestal's first goal came off a rebound shot on goal by former Dundee-Crown star Christina Thornton. The ball was deflected off the outstretched Robert Morris goalie, Fati Mohammed, and bounced right to Vestal who found the back of a wide open net. It wasn't too much later in the game when nearly the same scenario played out again. Vestal found herself with a wide open net after rebounding another Thornton shot on goal.
"The first one I was surprised because the ball just bounced up and hit my knee and then just kept going (toward the goal)," said Vestal. "Chris did all of the work."
Thornton, JU's leading scorer, didn't seem to mind that she wasn't the one getting credit for the goals as long as the Eagles got the win.
"I was a little frustrated that (my shots) weren't going in, but it was a good thing that Sam was there. We practice that all the time," said Thornton.
JU's defense has shut out the last two teams it has faced to keep Eagles unbeaten in their last 9 games.
"I think this means a lot to the seniors who have been here for four years," said fifth-year Judson coach Freddie King. "You can talk and to all of your recruits about the direction (the program) is going, but now we have the wins on paper to show for it."