ABILENE ? A 1-0 victory for the Abilene Christian University Wildcats over Eastern New Mexico and an Angelo State loss to West Texas A&M Sunday means that the Wildcats are headed to the Lone Star Conference postseason tournament in just the program's second year in existence.
Katie Miller's second-half goal from over 30 yards was the only goal ACU would need to beat the Zias in their regular season finale at the ACU Soccer Field. The Wildcats, who managed just six shots in the first half, came out firing in the second half.
The Wildcats took four shots in the first 10 minutes of the second period before a string of three-straight shots on goal for ACU beginning with
Bree Craig's shot in the 72nd minute. Sixty seconds later,
Lyndsey Womack tried her luck but ENMU's Sierra Cardenas turned away the Wildcats for the sixth time.
However, 55 seconds later with 27 minutes remaining, Miller dribbled past a Zia defender on the far right side of the field and struck a missile into the net on an assist from Craig.
The Wildcat defense allowed nine shots in the first half, but buckled down and allowed only six shots and two on goal in the second period. The Wildcat defense picked up their seventh shutout of the season and goalie
Crissy Lawson was credited with her fifth and had seven saves.
Entering into the contest, there were several scenarios to put the Wildcats either in or out of the playoffs. Either a tie or a win would keep ACU in the hunt but after the victory, all the Wildcats needed was either a loss from Angelo State or a loss from West Texas A&M.
About 10 minutes after the end of ACU's match Sunday, the Wildcats received word that West Texas A&M defeated ASU 2-1, which guaranteed ACU a spot in next week's LSC Tournament. Later TWU fell to Northeastern State in double overtime, but it wouldn't matter as the Wildcats had already secured a spot.
ACU finished in an eighth-place tie in 2007 as a first year program with a 3-8-1 record in LSC play. This season, the Wildcats finished with a 9-7-2 overall record and a 5-4-1 mark in league play.
The conference office will announce the pairings for the postseason tournament in Canyon either Sunday night or Monday morning.
