LEBANON, Ill. – Sixth-seeded Drury and third-seeded Ashland squared off on Friday afternoon in the first round of the NCAA Division II postseason at McKendree University. The Eagles advanced to the regional semifinals with the 1-0 win.
 
In a battle of two of the top defenses in the region, it was a stalemate for the first 27 minutes of the match. The Eagles had the first opportunities of the game. Ashland was able to get three shots off in a matter of moments, all blocked.
 
There was not a single shot attempt for the Panthers in the first 45 minutes.
 
Entering the second half, Drury picked up the offensive pressure. Holland Hawkins took the first Drury shot of the game in the 50th minute. Both offenses went quiet until the 75th minute.
 
In the 75th, the Eagles made a run down the left side, and an attempted cross was called for a handball on Hawkins, giving Ashland a penalty kick. Ashland's Keira Erling took the penalty and drilled it for the match's lone goal.
 
Drury started pressing their offense in the final 15 minutes, including moving defender Anna Harris to the attack, but the Panthers were unable to convert a last-minute goal.
 
MATCH POINTS

• Ashland outshot Drury 13-2. The Panthers did not have a single shot on goal as the Eagles had four.
• Holland Hawkins recorded both shots.
• There was not a single corner kick for Drury, four for Ashland.
• Katy Fitzler saved three shots.
• Ashland's CeCe Craig took six shots, the most of anyone in the match.
• Seven Panthers played the entire 90 minutes: Katy Fitzler, Leah McDonald, Brooke Teter, Grace Pohl, Anna Harris, Danielle Buker, and Haley Inscoe.
• It was the first time that Ashland beat Drury in the national tournament. In the tournament, Drury is now 2-1 against Ashland in the postseason.
• The loss was the earliest Drury has been bounced in the national tournament in program history.
• In the program's history, Drury is now +3 in goal differential in the national tournament.
• Ashland extended their unbeaten streak to 20 games. Drury's ended at 13 games.

 
SEASON POINTS

• Drury ends the season with a 10-3-8 record.
• This season was the 12th ten-win season in program history and the fourth under Justin Olson.
• The Panthers finished the season undefeated against teams in Missouri, 5-0-5.
• Drury made the national tournament for the second straight season, for the first time in program history and fourth time in program history. Three of the national tournament berths are under Justin Olson.
• Four Drury Panthers earned all-GLVC honors; Katy Fitzler, Elena Perez, Anna Harris, and Holland Hawkins.
• Fitzler was the league's goalkeeper of the year. Drury's second honoree in program history and first since Kaitlin Knetzke in 2023.
• Fitzler, Hawkins, Leah McDonald, and Haley Inscoe earned the GLVC All-Tournament team.
• Drury won the program's third GLVC tournament title this season, its first since 2021. Justin Olson now has two GLVC titles to his Drury resume.
• The Panthers won both the semifinal and final in shootout fashion, the first GLVC team to do so since the 2003 Wisconsin-Parkside team.
• Justin Olson finished the season with a 110-95-33 career record.
• Drury started the season ranked 14th nationally and was picked to finish second in the GLVC.
• There were 15 Panthers who made their Drury debuts this season.
• Drury played three nationally ranked teams this season: No. 11 Maryville, No. 19 McKendree, and No. 13 Ashland. The Panthers were 0-1-2 against such teams. Despite there not being a win, the McKendree game was in the GLVC Championship, a game won in a shootout.
• Drury finished the season with 294 program wins.
• Katy Fitzler finished the season with a .58 goals against average, ten shutouts, two combined shutouts, 93 saves, .886 save percentage, and 12 goals allowed. Saves, save percentage, and goals allowed were all career bests for Fitzler.
• The .58 GAA is good enough for the sixth-best season in Drury history. Ten shutouts is also the sixth-best season. Fitzler played over 1881 minutes in net, fourth most in a single season for Drury. 93 saves puts Fitzler at ninth in the single-season saves list at Drury
• In Fitzler's career, she now has 145 saves (ninth most), .57 GAA (best at Drury, second most of active NCAA-II keepers), 24 shutouts (third most), .853 save percentage, over 3953 minutes played (11th most of active NCAA-II keepers), and a 26-6-12 record.
• Holland Hawkins ended the season with seven goals (leading the team) and one assist.
• Keira Love scored a career high in points, 14, with four goals and six assists.
• Elena Perez recorded a career high of six goals and notched two assists. Perez finished her Drury career with 16 assists (tied for seventh in Drury history).
• Leah McDonald, Kadence Krempges, and Elli Davison each scored two goals.
• Baylea Davis and Grace Pohl had one goal.
• Anna Harris and Caroline Dinnon each recorded points on assists.
• Two other keepers saw minutes for Drury in the net: Taylor Thompson and Keva Culkin.
• As a team, Drury tied the season record in ties with eight.
• The Panthers were a better team on the road this season, 5-0-4. While at Harrison Stadium, Drury was 5-2-2. On neutral fields, 0-1-2.

 
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