PENSACOLA, Fla. – The Lady Crusaders season comes to an end as they fall 2-1 to Columbia (MO.) in the quarterfinal of the NAIA National Championship.
 
In uncharacteristic fashion, the Lady Crusaders found themselves behind within the first five minutes of the game. The Lady Cougars put the pressure on early and it paid off. Madeleine Shylanski picked up the ball wide on Columbia's left-hand side. Shylanski drove inside the box and fired a low shot through a sea of bodies, finding the bottom right-hand corner of the goal.
 
From there, the Lady Crusaders went on to take control of the game. A long ball from Livia Pertl found the run of Christina Salmon in behind the defense. Salmon tried to cut inside onto her favored right foot but was defended well by the Lady Cougars.
 
Carey led the shot count in the first half, outshooting Columbia 8-3. Their next best chance came off a Rocio Fernandez corner. Fernandez's inswinger found the head of Pertl who turned her effort goalwards. Just as it looked as if it would cross the line, Emilia Zolesio managed to clear it off the line to deny the Lady Crusaders their equalizer.
 
Columbia's best chance of the first half came towards the end of the half. A good touch and a smart turn afforded Delfina Zolesio enough space to get her shot off but could only direct straight at Nerea Pallas Padilla.
 
Three minutes into the second half and Carey's first of 13 shots would fall to Salmon. Fernandez's deep free kick into the box was knocked down to Salmon's feet on the edge of the box. Salmon, off balance, took a snapshot and swung a foot at the ball and could only direct her effort over the bar.
 
All of Carey's knocking on the door paid off early into the second half as Esalenna Galekhutle answered. Virginia Mesa picked the ball up 30 yards out from goal and slipped in the run of Galekhutle. Galekhutle took a touch between two defenders and toe-poked the ball past Natalie Allison in the Columbia goal.
 
The old adage goes that you're most vulnerable when you have just scored and that proved to be the case here. Not two minutes later Columbia put themselves ahead again. Emma Cloud's floated cross from the left-hand side found the head of D.Zolesio. D.Zolesio sent a lopping header over a diving Padilla who just couldn't get her fingertips on the ball.
 
Just like the first half, the Columbia goal would precede a spell of dominance from the Lady Crusaders. Carey dominated possession from there and outshot the Lady Cougars 13-2 in the second half.
 
Carey's next chance came from distance from Galekhutle. Alyssia Davis's pass inside from the right found Galekhutle. She then shifted the ball onto her right foot and fired a shot just wide of the right-hand post.
 
Carey's best chance of the half came off a freekick from Mesa. Mesa's strike forced the save from Allison who tipped the ball onto the crossbar and back into play. The rebound fell to Galekhutle who did her best to put her header on target but narrowly sent it over.
 
With time running out Carey nearly found the elusive equalizer, but it wasn't to be. Karen Vilau's cross into the box found Allison. Allison fumbled the cross onto the feet of Galekhutle but dove straight on the ball before Galekhutle could get a shot off and claimed it at the second time of asking.
 
"Tough loss tonight, Columbia were very good." Said Coach Danny Owens on the game. "We created some good chances but just couldn't put them away."
 
When asked about his thoughts on the season, Owens goes on to say "With the amount of players we lost from last year, for us to go into this tournament as one of the favorites and reach another quarterfinal, I couldn't be prouder of these girls. It just goes to show how good this team is. I'm proud of each and everyone of these girls."
 
The Lady Crusaders finish the season with an astounding 20-2-1 record, a runner-up finish in the SSAC regular season, missing out on goal difference, & the SSAC Tournament Championship.