CLEVELAND, Ga. (November 10, 2023) – The No. 1 seed Truett McConnell University women's soccer team hosted No. 2 Tennessee Wesleyan University on Friday for the Appalachian Athletic Conference Tournament Championship, where the Lady Bears were crowned the back-to-back AAC Tournament Champions after besting the Bulldogs with a final score of 1-0. TMU concludes tournament play with an overall season record of 17-2-2, 13-0-1 AAC, extending their win streak to nine.
 
"Tonight was a special moment made possible by a special group of girls," said Head Coach David McDowell. "All season they have maintained a high level of focus, standards and togetherness. We had to grind and be resilient tonight against a good Tennessee Wesleyan team, but for the coaching staff we always remained confident because we see how they work and grind every day in practice. The girls have now won the double in back-to-back years and it's an amazing accomplishment. I am very proud to be their coach!"
 
Most notable, Eliska Dvorakova, the AAC Offensive Player of the Year, was named the AAC Tournament MVP, while Lyndsey Darden, Ella Weir and Annabel Kesinger were named to the AAC All-Tournament Team. TMU was last featured recording the double in 2018 and 2022, along with recording eight straight wins against the Bulldogs since the 2018 season. 
 
PLAY-BY-PLAY
The first half saw the Bulldogs first to take a chance at goal, but TMU was not far behind as shots by Eliska Dvorakova and Brianna Hernandez attempted to put the Lady Bears on the board. A foul by the visiting team gave the Lady Bears the opportunity they needed as Dvorakova took her shot after a perfect set up by Ashley Johnson to put TMU up 1-0. The Lady Bears remained sharp on defense as they were capable of holding down their leading position for the remainder of the half (1-0).
 
TMU began the second half with a shot by Ashley Johnson. Both teams battled back and forth, eager to take home the championship title, when a last chance shot by the Bulldogs attempted to bridge the gap. A clutch defensive save by Lyndsey Darden, along with a resilient TMU midfield kept the visiting team at bay, ultimately allowing the Lady Bears to clench the title of AAC Tournament Champions with a final score of 1-0.
 
LEADERS
Dvorakova led the way for the Lady Bears with one goal and three shots. Johnson followed closely behind with two shots, while Hernandez, Ruffa Meger, Ivanchenko and Isabella Hodson recorded one shot apiece. 
 
UP NEXT
The Lady Bears will find out their NAIA Nationals Opening Round site on Monday, November 13 at 1:00 p.m. CST, followed by the opening round of nationals set to begin on Thursday, Nov. 16 – Saturday, Nov. 18.