SPRINGFIELD, Mo.– In one of the biggest turnarounds in Great Lakes Valley Conference history, possibly in any sport, the Drury Panthers won the GLVC Championship with a 2-0 win over Southern Indiana at Harrison Stadium on Sunday.
 
Drury, winless at 0-16-1 in 2018 and making their first conference tournament appearance since 2015, captured the league crowd in head coach Justin Olson's second season as head coach. The title is Drury's first GLVC Championship in women's soccer since 2007.
 
"I feel like a proud father that just watches your kids grow," said Olson. "For us to get that result today and watching them be happy after the game – that meant the world to me and I'm really proud of them."
 
The Panthers, seeded second on the bracket, improved to 15-4-1. Southern Indiana, who was in the GLVC title game for the third-straight season and seeded fifth in the tournament, ended their year with a 12-6-2 mark.
 
Drury got on the board in the 26^th minute on a play set up by a corner kick. Keeley Combs found Ava Scott in front of the net for a shot that Scott put home for her first goal of the year. The Panthers maintained the 1-0 lead into halftime.
 
The Drury defense weathered pressure from the Screaming Eagles to start the second half as Southern Indiana put up a flurry of shots. Then, in the 71^st minute, Rachel Dzarnowski sent a pass upfield to Elsa Gonzalez, who streaked past USI defenders and beat goalkeeper Maya Etienne to give Drury a 2-0 lead. It was the 11^th goal of the year for Gonzalez, this year's GLVC Offensive Player of the Year.
 
The Panthers held off Southern Indiana in the final 19 minutes for the win. Drury goalie Kaitlin Knetzke saw 11 shots and made two saves.
 
"We talked (before the game) about the fact that we deserved to be here," added Olson. "I thought our locker room before the game was the best its been all season, and that says a lot about our players - they found a way to come together."
 
Drury's 15^th win of the season is the most for the program since 2007, which marked their last appearance in the NCAA-II Tournament. The Panthers earn the GLVC's automatic bid and find out their opening-round opponent in the Midwest Regional on Monday at 5 pm (Central). 
 
"For our seniors, we couldn't have done this without them," said Olson. "Things were difficult for them early in their careers in terms of getting results. They had to go through a coaching change, and when things got hard, they didn't transfer, they didn't quit, they weathered the storm, and I hope this moment is as special for them as I think it is."
 
 
GLVC Quarterfinals Scores
#2 DRURY 2 #7 Lewis 0
#6 Missouri S&T 2 #3 Truman St. 0
#5 Southern Indiana 1 #4 Indianapolis 0
#8 Missouri-St. Louis 1 #1 McKendree 1 (UMSL wins on penalty kicks)
 
GLVC Semifinals Scores
#5 Southern Indiana 1  #8 Missouri-St. Louis 0 (2OT)
#2 DRURY 1  #6 Missouri S&T 0 (OT)
 
GLVC Championship -  Sunday, Nov. 14 – noon – Harrison Stadium
#2 DRURY 2  #5 Southern Indiana 0
 
 
#allweDUiswin