After starting the season with two straight losses, Park University’s women’s soccer team regrouped and fired off six straight wins. Now, with the American Midwest Conference tournament concluding on November 9, the Pirates have a chance to finish with their best winning percentage in nine years.

Through the first 12 games of the season, Park’s record sat at 8-4. Those first 12 games featured a six-game winning streak and two losses coming at the hands of top five teams No. 4 Benedictine and No. 5 Columbia College. The Pirates then began their second extended hot streak of the season and have not dropped a game since October 13.

The streak began October 18 against Stephens College. The Stars, who came into the contest with a dismal 4-8 record, were able to hold Park scoreless throughout the first half. The Pirates finally broke through in the 47^th minute after sophomore Maddy Russell found the lower left corner of the net. Junior Faustine Perrin added an insurance goal for Park just moments later in the 48^th minute to put the Pirates up 2-0, where it would remain until the final whistle. With the victory Park moved to 9-4 on the season while notching their seventh conference win.

Three days later, the Pirates traveled 370 miles to Walnut Ridge, Ark., for a matchup against Williams Baptist College. The Eagles played Park to a 1-1 draw through the 31^st minute until the Pirates’ offense started clicking, adding two more goals before the half expired. Russell put the nail in Williams Baptist’s coffin by adding another goal in the 72^nd minute. The Eagles would add a strike of their own but with little consequence as Park clamped down to seal a 4-2 victory.

The first real challenge in two games for the Pirates came on October 25 against William Woods University. The Owls would strike first in the 35^th minute to take a 1-0 lead. The advantage was short lived. Senior Gabi Severns drilled the equalizer just 5 minutes later. William Woods then responded with a shot into the lower right corner to take a 2-1 lead into halftime. The Owls held onto their one goal margin for another 45 minutes before senior Emma Chatterton tied the match off a ricochet with just 26 seconds remaining. Chatterton’s clutch goal would end the scoring for both teams; after two additional overtime periods, the match was called a draw in the 110^th minute. Both teams received half a victory in the AMC standings.

The Pirates final regular season game came against Freed-Hardeman University, on October 28. With seeding for the AMC tournament on the line, Park dispatched the Lions 2-0 with goals in each half. The win cemented Park into the third seed for the first round of the AMC tournament, as the Pirates finished the regular season 11-4-1.

Missouri-Baptist took on Park in the AMC quarterfinals six days later. The Spartans would not last long, suffering a first round knockout at the hands of the Pirates. Chatterton smashed the Spartans chances almost immediately, burying two goals within the first six minutes of play. She completed the hat trick 30 minutes. Russell piled on the blowout by adding a goal of her own in the 40^th minute to give Park an insurmountable 4-0 halftime lead. The Pirates would go onto win 4-2 and reserve their spot for a rematch with William Woods University on November 6.

The Pirates season would end in heartbreaking fashion three days later, as Park fell to William Woods on penalty kicks after two overtime periods. Sophomore Lydia Parker put the Pirates ahead early after finding the back of the net in the 3^rd minute of play. Park would hold their slim lead for 84 minutes. The Owls finally broke through in the 87^th minute, evening the score at 1-1. After two scoreless 10 minute periods, the teams advanced to a shootout. William Woods eventually outshot the Pirates 5-3, ending the season for Park. The Pirates finished with a 12-4-2 overall record. Their winning percentage of .722 is the best finish in the last nine years for the program.