WAYNESBURG, Pa. (Nov. 22) – The Waynesburg University women's soccer team played host to Keene State for the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) championship game on Saturday at a chilly John F. Wiley Stadium. The Owls and Yellow Jackets battled over a heated 90 minutes of competition, but another outstanding effort from junior goalkeeper Lex Greenlief (Chester, W.Va. / Oak Glen), combined with a goal from junior Hailey Gilchrest was the perfect formula for a historic 1-0 victory.
 
With the win, Waynesburg (17-3-2) broke its own program record for wins in a season. It is also the first recorded ECAC championship for women's soccer and the first ECAC title of any kind at Waynesburg since football won the 2012 ECAC Southwest Bowl.
 
The Yellow Jackets and Owls (10-6-6) played through a scoreless first half, with Keene State applying steady pressure and leading in total shots (8-6) and shots on goal (5-3). Despite the discrepancy, Waynesburg's back line held strong and weathered the early storm.
 
After halftime, the Jackets finally broke through for the game's only score. In the 55th minute, junior midfielder Gilchrest delivered the game-winning strike. Cutting in from the left side, Gilchrest fired a shot that slipped through the legs of the Owls' goalkeeper.
 
Keene State's desperation and frustration started to show with a pair of yellow cards within a minute of each other in the 66^th and 67^th minutes. The Owls also peppered the Jackets with 14 shots over the final 23 minutes, forcing Greenlief to show off her entire repertoire to keep her team in the lead. However, the Jackets were able to weather the storm and enjoy a well-deserved celebration.
 
Greenlief was named game MVP after putting together one of her strongest performances as a Yellow Jacket. She tallied 14 saves for her 11th shutout of the season, which set a new school record for clean sheets in a season and cemented her place among the program's all-time greats.