ASHLAND — If Ashland University’s historic season is to continue, the Eagles will have to swamp the Lakers for a second time.
Ashland (19-0-4) will host Grand Valley (13-3-6) in the late game of an NCAA “Sweet 16” tournament doubleheader Friday at 6 p.m. at Ashland’s Ferguson Field.
Emporia State plays Washburn in Friday’s early game.
The winners of Friday’s games will meet at 3 p.m. Sunday in Ashland in the national quarterfinals. Sunday’s winner advances to next week’s national semifinals in North Carolina.
The Eagles beat the Lakers 1-0 in the season opener Aug. 31 in Allendale, Mich. The match’s lone goal was an own-goal by GVSU in the 10th minute.
The victory set the course for the Eagles, now ranked second in the nation.
“We talk about believing,” AU coach Cayleb Paulino said at the time. “We talked about the culture that we’ve built.”
The Eagles and Lakers have a long history. AU was 9-0-1 against GVSU in the first 10 meetings before the Lakers flipped the script. Grand Valley went 20-0-1 in the next 21 matches. Ashland has won the past two.
Ashland advanced with wins over Michigan Tech (3-0) and Cedarville (2-0) earlier this month in Ashland. As they have done all season, the Eagles spread the scoring wealth in the early stages of the NCAA Tournament. Ella Schneider, Sydney Polen and Tori Haggit scored against Michigan Tech. Schneider and Polen scored in the win over Cedarville.
On the season, 13 players have scored at least one goal and 16 players have at least one point. Nine different Eagles have scored game-winning goals.
Depth has been Ashland’s biggest ally this year. Eighteen players have started at least one match.
“I think the biggest piece is letting the players understand the why,” Paulino said. “We want to be the best version of ourselves at the end of the year, and managing players’ minutes through the first two months of play is part of that.
“We also know that we score a lot of goals in the second half when our players are well-rested and have the opportunity to go at the opposing team with tired legs.”
Dani Hicks leads the Eagles with nine goals. Polen, a freshman from Loudonville High School, and Merrik Mihalek each have seven goals, while Scheider and McKinley Mendenhall, an Ashland High School product, have five goals apiece.
Meanwhile, AU boasts the best defense in the nation. The Eagles have authored 19 shutouts in 23 matches and their 0.19 goals-against average is flirting with the Division II record of 0.158.
Freshman defender and Ontario High School product Adi Turnbaugh has started all 23 games for Ashland. Junior defender and Madison graduate Phyllis Stanfield has appeared in 16 matches.
“I think it speaks volumes of our defensive principles and the buy-in from the group,” Paulino said. “It has been the next player up mentality from Day 1.
“Everyone here, we feel, has contributed to our program’s success. It is about making the most of your opportunity when called upon.”