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ABILENE, Texas — After winning a third straight WAC title, Utah Valley was ready to avenge an early exit from last season's tournament as the No. 1 team.
Unfortunately for the Wolverines, the team's run in the conference tournament ended with a similar result.
Utah Valley controlled a 2-0 lead for much of the match, which seemed to be enough, but three second-half goals by Cal Baptist was enough to end all hopes of a deep run, eliminating the Wolverines from the WAC Tournament with a 3-2 win.
A goal in the 87th minute proved to be the difference maker after Jayden Ramirez's back-foot assist to Kayle Hauck sealed the door on Utah Valley's championship hopes.
Utah Valley, who leads the WAC in scoring, started the fireworks early with a goal from Ruby Hladek in the 14th minute. Hladek made a move to her right and fired a shot from 30 yards out, just past the outstretched glove of Lancer's keeper Mikayla O'Brien to take a 1-0 lead.
The Wolverines weren't done, though. Quincy Bonds placed a header into the top corner of the net off Greta Davis' feed, and the Wolverines were dancing with a 2-0 lead heading into the second half.
But the 2-0 scored wasn't enough. Cal Baptist trimmed the lead when Ramirez found an open seam and got a ball into the net. The score was originally waived off on an offside call, but review awarded the goal to Cal Baptist.
It didn't get any easier for Utah Valley when keeper CJ Graham collided with an attacking Lauryn White and was taken out of the game. It was Graham's second time colliding with a Lancers player, but this time it was enough to bring in backup keeper Leah Wolf.
Graham was able to return five minutes later after Wolf held down the fort for the time being.
But all that changed when Ava Westlund took advantage of the transition of the Wolverine defense and crossed defender Haley Funn to make her fall, giving her enough space to send it through and tie the game with 13 minutes to go.
With 2:38 left in regulation, the Lancers got a third goal when Ramirez provided a beautiful back-foot assist that Hauck finished off, eliminating the Wolverines for the third straight year.
"We are built for being able to battle," Lancers head coach Kristen St. Clair said after the game. "We have gone through so much adversity this year, and the players did a fantastic job."
It's a tough ending to a great career for Faith Webber, who set multiple single-season goal records for Utah Valley and led the NCAA in scoring this season.
It's just the fifth loss for Utah Valley this season and the first conference loss. Utah Valley will await their fate for a potential at-large bid in the ensuing NCAA Tournament.
