SEARCY, Ark. – Despite taking one more total shot and two more shots on goal, the Ouachita Tigers fell 2-1 to the Southwestern Oklahoma State Bulldogs in the opening round of the Great American Conference Women's Soccer Tournament on Thursday. The loss ended a seven-match win streak for the Tigers, and Ouachita ends its season with a record of 11-7.
 
Ouachita held the possession early in the contest, taking three of the first four shots. The fourth shot by Southwestern Oklahoma State, however, put the Bulldogs ahead 1-0 just 23 minutes into the first half. The score came on a shot from 35 yards out by Cori Kelly that found the back of the net after deflection off the cross bar and Ouachita keeper, Lauren Llanes.
 
Southwestern Oklahoma State (13-5-1) was able to keep the Tigers from tying the match through the first half, despite three shots on goal from the GAC's all-time leading scorer Haley Hatcher.
 
Hatcher came through for Ouachita midway through the second half after scoring on her sixth shot on goal of the match. Hatcher's 19^th goal of the season came on a shot that went through three defenders and past GAC Goalkeeper of the Year Courtney Flores.
 
Less than 10 minutes later, however, the Bulldogs took the lead once again on Samantha Nunez's 10 goal of the season. Nunez dribbled through the left side of Ouachita's defense before scoring on a low shot to the far post.
 
The Bulldogs held Ouachita to only one shot in the final 13 minutes of the match, taking the victory and a spot in the GAC championship match on Saturday.
 
Hatcher finished the match with 10 shots, seven being on goal. Bryson Rial, an All-GAC First Team selection, followed with two shots, and Sammie Mack, a second-team selection, had two shots, as well. Llanes recorded six saves in the 90-minute match.
 
Seven out of 11 starters for Ouachita spent the entire 90 minutes on the field, including Llanes, Hatcher, Rial, Mack, Kristen Schultz, Tessa Woodcock and Marley Zochert. Bryson Thomas, an All-GAC Honorable Mention, came off the bench and spent 26 minutes on the field.
 
Ouachita finished the regular season ranked second in the GAC with a 10-2 conference record. The Tigers are currently ranked second in the points per game, assists per game and scoring offense. The Tigers also finished 45^th in Division II in shutout percentage.
 
Hatcher, the team's leader in goals for the past three season, is ranked first in all of Division II with eight game-winning goals. She also is ninth in the nation in goals per game.
 
The team contains four seniors, including Hatcher, Mack, Morgan Allen and Audrey Rodriguez.