MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Lady Crusaders won their 5^th SSAC Championship in a row as they knocked off Life 2-0 on Saturday evening.
 
"Very proud of the girls tonight." Said an elated Head Coach Danny Owens. "Life played an excellent game and really put us under pressure. We defended well and got the goals needed to win. It was a great conference run but now we have to turn our attention to Nationals."
 
In a game worthy of a conference final, both teams showed exactly why they were there. A game full of quality and entertainment, this could easily be a game you see late on in the NAIA National Tournament.
 
The goalkeepers were the standouts of the first half. Between Carey & Life, the keepers combined for 11 saves. Life's Elora Niederpruem held the advantage with seven saves to Nerea Pallas Padilla's four saves for WCU.
 
Carey had a chance to open the scoring in the opening 2 minutes. Karen Vilau took a touch past her defender into Life penalty area before getting tackled. The ball fell kindly to the feet of Lauren Entremont who reacted quickly to get the shot off but could only find the grateful hands of Niederpruem.
 
Life's first chance of the game brought possibly the save of the game from Padilla. A long ball into the box fell to Life's Sacha Millward. Millward let the ball bounce across her body before firing her shot from point blank range, forcing Padilla to make an excellent reflex save high to her left.
 
Carey's next big chance fell to the SSAC Player of the Year, Karen Vilau. Vilau picked up the ball in the middle of the LU half. She then danced her way through three Life defenders before finding herself in on goal. Unfortunately for Carey, the ball fell to Vilau's weaker left foot and she couldn't get the contact she wanted as she sent a tame effort straight at Niederpruem.
 
Carey had the better chances throughout the first half and looked the more dangerous when in possession. Niederpruem stood big in Life's goal, showing steady hands and covering her angles to ensure the game stayed goalless going into the second half.
 
As you go deeper into post season and into tournaments it tends to be set pieces and moments of magic that decide games. This was no different as Carey got the go-ahead goal from a corner 90 seconds after the restart. Boo Mills floated in a cross to meet the head of Virginia Mesa. Mesa towered above everyone to send a commanding header straight into the back of the net.
 
Carey had their goal off a set piece, now it was just time for a moment of magic and it nearly came from Mesa. Just inside the Life half, Mesa spotted Niederpruem a distance off her line. Mesa sent a looping effort, that bounced right over the Life keeper. As the ball bounced, Niederpruem took a panic step as what she initially thought a harmless effort, nearly turned to heart break as she thought she had been caught out. Thankfully for the Running Eagles, Mesa's speculative effort bounced just wide of the post.
 
Goals change games and Mesa's goal woke up Life. The Running Eagles took control of the game in the second half, forcing five saves from Carey's Padilla.
 
Life thought they had found the equalizer from Millward. Helen Gutierrez fired a pass into Millward just in front of Carey's penalty spot. Millward brought the ball under control, turned, and fired her shot barreling towards the bottom corner. Padilla came to the rescue again as she made the diving stop, low to her right.
 
Life had a chance to tie the game from a corner of their own. Lilja Olafsdottir floated a cross into the box that eventually fell to the feet of Ana Diaz just outside the six-yard box. Diaz took a snap shot and dragged her effort just wide of the post, much to the relief of the Lady Crusaders.
 
Pallas and the Carey defensive unit gave their all, putting bodies on the line to make sure they held on to their narrow, one goal lead.
 
With 9 minutes left on the clock, Padilla turned from goalkeeper to goal provider. Padilla sent a long punt down the center of the field. Mesa took advantage of some indecisiveness from the life defenders and took control of the bouncing ball. Mesa, looking for that moment of magic again, spotted Niederpruem off her line again and decided to try her luck once more. This time Mesa was not to be denied as she sent a bouncing effort past the Life keeper and sent Carey on their way to victory.
 
Carey held on in the last few minutes to preserve the clean sheet and cement themselves as the SSAC Champions once more.
 
With the win, Carey earns an automatic bid to the NAIA National Championship. They now wait to see who they play in the first and second round. Those games get underway November 20^th-22^nd with time and location to be decided.