PULASKI, Tenn. – Playing for the final time as members of the TranSouth Athletic Conference, Martin Methodist defeated Bethel (Tenn.) 4-1 Saturday afternoon to claim the league's final conference tournament championship.
After winning both regular-season matchups 3-1, the RedHawks (14-3) got on the board just nine minutes into Saturday's match when Jennifer Loewen wrestled the ball away from a defender in the box and sent it home from less than three yards out.
Five minutes later, the RedHawks would pick up another first-half goal when Yalu Borbolla connected with Shir Levo on a corner kick that the defender sent home for her first career goal.
Mor Efraim would extend the RedHawks lead to 3-0 in the match's 28th minute when she broke free from a defender and dribbled her way around the outstretched arms of Lady Wildcats goalkeeper Nicoda Linton and sent a shot into the back of the net.
The Lady Wildcats (12-6) would tally their lone goal of the contest just moments before halftime when defender Jaylene Tye looped a shot from near mid-pitch over the head of RedHawks goalkeeper Meaghan Storie.
After a back-and-forth second half, the RedHawks would break free for their final goal of the match when Sofia Smati hammered home an Emily Lewis shot that Linton was unable to handle.
As a team, the RedHawks outshot the Lady Wildcats 12-5, with 10 of MMC's shots coming in the match's opening 45 minutes. In addition to a 5-2 shots on goal advantage, the RedHawks also enjoyed a 5-4 corner kick edge over the Lady Wildcats.
Storie made one save to clinch her 14th win in net for the RedHawks, who outscored their TranSouth foes 20-3 this season.
Linton made one save in a losing effort for the Lady Wildcats, who saw their three-match winning streak come to an end.
With the win, the RedHawks clinched their ninth consecutive conference tournament title while also clinching a berth in next weekend's Unaffiliated Conference Final. In a match on the campus of Lipscomb University in Nashville, the RedHawks will square off against the winner of the Frontier Conference to potentially clinch an automatic berth into this month's NAIA National Women's Soccer Championships.
"It is extremely tough to beat a team twice in a season," RedHawks head coach Tyson John said. "Let alone three times. I was proud of the way our girls fought this afternoon against a good Bethel squad."
After the match, 10 RedHawks and John were also recognized during the TSAC Postseason Awards Ceremony.
Efraim, who finished the season with 21 goals and four assists, was named Conference Player of the Year for a second consecutive season.
Newcomer Fabiola Sanchez, who anchored a defense that allowed just 13 goals in 17 matches, was named the league's Freshman of the Year.
John, meanwhile, picked up his second straight Coach of the Year award after guiding the RedHawks to their second straight season of at least 14 victories.
A full list of this year's TSAC award winners can be found HERE.
"It was great for everyone to get recognition for their hard work this season," John said. "But more than anything we were just excited to get out of here with a victory. We still have a lot of work to do before next week's match."
Full details of Saturday's Unaffiliated Conference Final in Nashville will be announced in the coming days.
