Westminster women's soccer beats Fontbonne 2-1 to win SLIAC Tournament

ST. LOUIS - It was a day of thirds for the Westminster women's soccer team.

The third-seeded Blue Jays, playing their third game of the week, were able to hold on Saturday for a 2-1 victory against the top-seeded Fontbonne Griffins in the championship game of the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament at Centene Stadium.

This is the third SLIAC Tournament championship for Westminster, which previously won titles in 2015 and 2018.

After the game, Westminster had four players named to the SLIAC all-tournament team.

Senior forward Natalie Schulte was named tournament MVP for the Blue Jays, while senior defender Alaina Allsbury, freshman midfielder Lauren Halamicek and sophomore defender Maddy Lawton were also named to the all-tournament team for Westminster.

The Blue Jays scored both of their goals in the first half.

In the 25th minute, Westminster had a corner kick that appeared to be saved by Fontbonne goalkeeper Mary Beers. However, as Beers jumped up to make the save, the ball slipped through her hands and into the back of the net for an own goal, putting the Blue Jays ahead 1-0.

"We knew that if we came out and scored first that we were going to have the momentum," Westminster coach Wendy Sanchez said in an interview posted on the SLIAC website. "Surely enough, that carried us onto the second goal."

With time winding down in the final minute of the first half, Halamicek set up for a free kick following a Fontbonne foul. Halamicek took the ball from 38 yards out and blasted it just above Beers' reach and under the crossbar for her fourth goal of the season, and her first since March 30.

"We knew she had a cannon on her," Sanchez said. " She just smacked the ball and it went into the back of the net."

That put Westminster ahead 2-0 at halftime. The Blue Jays had five shots to Fontbonne's seven in the first half, but the Griffins had 14 shots in the second half.

Fontbonne's goal came in the 54th minute, as Krystal Kohenskey scored on a cross into the box from Caitlyn Smith. That cut the Blue Jays' lead to 2-1.

But Westminster goalkeeper Megan Davidson recorded six of her eight saves in the second half to help the Blue Jays secure the tournament championship.

"We've been very fortunate that our defense has been very solid," Sanchez said. " That's our bread and butter, and we just happened to execute that in the final."

Fontbonne (12-1) had allowed just one goal in its previous 12 games this season. That other goal was scored by Schulte in the Blue Jays' 2-1 loss to the Griffins on April 3 in Fulton.

Halamicek finished with two shots on goal for the Blue Jays, while Schulte also had a shot on goal. They combined for five of the team's six shots.

Westminster ends the season with a 10-3 record.

Earlier in the week, Westminster had six players named to the all-SLIAC team.

Schulte was the Blue Jays' lone representative on the all-SLIAC first team as a forward. Schulte led Westminster with 10 goals in 11 games this season, adding a team-best five assists.

Allsbury made the all-SLIAC second team as a defender, while freshman forward Rachel Nolte, sophomore midfielder Kelsey Gordon, Lawton and Davidson all made the all-SLIAC third team.

Allsbury and Lawton helped the Blue Jays record seven shutouts in 13 games. Westminster never allowed more than two goals in a contest this season.

Nolte finished the season with three goals and four assists, while Gordon was second on the Blue Jays with five goals.

Davidson played all 13 games in goal, finishing with 48 saves and just eight goals allowed for a .857 save percentage.