WALNUT RIDGE, Ark. - Harris-Stowe State University women's soccer advanced to the American Midwest Conference Championship after a 3-1 win at #2 seed Williams Baptist on Friday afternoon. With the win, the Lady Hornets improve to 7-6-5 on the season while the Lady Eagles finish the season 12-5.

This is the third time in program history the Lady Hornets have advanced to the championship with the previous two appearances being in 2021 and 2022.

The Lady Eagles would have three shots to take an early lead as one shot went high, another hit the goal post and junior goalkeeper Taylor Kolinski (St. Louis, Mo./St. Louis Community College) would stop the third one. After a foul on the Lady Eagles, junior defender Moenesa Mejias (Trinidad, Trinidad and Tobago/Lewis and Clark CC) would take the free kick and go far post to beat the Lady Eagles keeper to give the Lady Hornets a 1-0 lead in the 11th minute. Kolinski would keep the Lady Hornets ahead with a save in the 28th minute. The Lady Eagles would tie the game in the 38th minute. The score would remain tied at one going into the half.

Kolinski would deny the Lady Eagles a goal with a save off of a header in the 48th minute. After the Lady Hornets would earn a corner kick, junior defender Luka Gorogranz (Berlin, Germany/Dodge City CC) would play the corner short to junior midfielder Katharina Salomon (Vienna, Austria/HLTW Bergheidengasse) as Salomon would send her shot towards the net that would just sneak into the net to give the Lady Hornets a 2-1 lead in the 49th minute. Freshman forward Sherasade Meghezi (Paris, France) would be denied a goal by the keeper in the 64th minute. Kolinski would keep the Lady Hornets ahead with saves in the 65th and 70th minutes. Junior forward Julia Tofane (Montes Claros, MG, Brazil/Central Wyoming CC) would not be able to extend the lead as her shot was saved by the keeper. The Lady Hornets would earn another corner and Gorogranz would send the corner into the box and find sophomore defender Emma Auer (Kindberg, Austria/HIB Liebenau) as Auer would find the back of the net with her header to extend the lead to 3-1 in the 74th minute. 

Mejias would score her fifth goal of the season, Salomon recorded her eighth of the season and Auer recorded her third of the season. Gorogranz would pick up assists on the goals by Salomon and Auer to give her a team-high five assists. 

Tofane would lead the way with three shots and Auer would record two shots on goal. Kolinski would make five saves in net to help her pick up her fourth win of the season.

The Lady Hornets held a 12-11 advantage in shots and 4-2 in corner kicks. Both teams finished with six shots on goal.

The Lady Hornets return to action in the championship on Monday, November 10th against the winner of Columbia and the University of Health Sciences & Pharmacy. If Columbia wins, the Lady Hornets will travel to Columbia and if UHSP wins the Lady Hornets will host the championship.