ROUND ROCK, Texas -- McMurry University captured its first SCAC Women's Soccer Tournament title with Sunday's 1-0 over Concordia University (Tex.) at Round Rock Multipurpose Complex. Official Championships Website | Tournament Stats | Interview w/ Head Coach Madelyn Wilson, Katie Wilson and Halin Griffith | Photos
Following a scoreless first half, the War Hawks were able to strike in the 54th minute as Halin Griffith, the eventual Tournament Offensive MVP, pushed across the game winner through traffic off a free kick. McMurry earns its first women's soccer NCAA Tournament appearance.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- McMurry outshot the Tornados 24-5 in the contest with nine on goal to Concordia's two.
- The Warhawks had nine corners to the Tornados' one.
MCMURRY UNIVERSITY STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
- Halin Griffith (M): 2 shots, 1 shot on goal, 1 goal
- Laila Brown (F): 7 shots, 2 shots on goal
- Alexis Lira (M): 4 shots, 1 shots on goal
- Avery Anders (GK): 90:00 minutes in goal, 0 goals allowed, 2 saves
CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY (TEX.) STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
- Tatum Winn (M): 2 shots, 1 shot on goal
- Abbie Adcock (D): 1 shot, 1 shot on goal
- Avery Wright (GK): 90:00 minutes in goal, 1 goal allowed, 8 saves
NOTABLES
- The championship marks the first for the Warhawks across any league and will be the first NCAA Tournament appearance for McMurry Women's Soccer.
- McMurry becomes the fourth different team to win the SCAC Women's Soccer Championship in conference history.
- First-year midfielder Halin Griffith was named the tournament's Most Valuable Offensive Player. She notched the gamewinner Sunday, her second goal of the season.
- Senior defender Katie Wilson was named SCAC Tournament Defensive MVP anchoring the War Hawks defense that shutout both opponents over the tournament. Wilson was on the field for all 180 minutes of the War Hawks' SCAC Tournament appearance.
- The two tournament shutouts were the 10th and 11th of the season for the War Hawks.
- This marked the ninth consecutive year the championship winning team has not allowed a goal scored during the tournament.
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
- Samantha Barrett, Sr., D (Hendrix)
- Ava Puente, Fy., M (Hendrix)
- Aliyah Fonseca, So., M (Texas Lutheran)
- Alyssa Ibanez, So., M (Texas Lutheran)
- Avery Wright, Sr., GK (Concordia)
- Emma Payne, So., F (Concordia)
- Avery Walker, Sr., M (Concordia)
- Laila Brown, So., F (McMurry)
- Avery Anders, Jr., GK (McMurry)
- Katie Wilson, Sr., D (McMurry) – Tournament Defensive MVP
- Halin Griffith, Fy., M (McMurry) – Tournament Offensive MVP
UP NEXT
As SCAC tournament champions, McMurry (11-3-5) will receive the league's automatic berth into the NCAA Division III Tournament and will find out its opponent when brackets are released tomorrow during the selection show at 10 am CT. Concordia (Tex.) ends its season with a 7-9-4 overall record.
