Ashland, Ohio — The University of Findlay women's soccer team punched their ticket to the G-MAC Championship with a gritty 1–0 victory over Cedarville on Thursday, November 13 at Ferguson Field.
Findlay controlled the attacking rhythm throughout the night, finishing with 12 shots and 5 on frame, driven largely by the senior trio of Sydney Noble, Payton Miller, and Raegan Smith. Noble delivered one of her most impactful outings of the season, leading all players with 6 shots, 3 on goal, and an assist—directly involved in 7 of Findlay's 12 total attempts. Her early pressure set an aggressive tone, forcing two saves in the opening 10 minutes and generating chances consistently in both halves.
The breakthrough arrived in the 79th minute, when Miller calmly buried the match-winner off a sharp setup from Noble. Miller tallied 3 shots on the night and secured her second goal of the season at the biggest possible moment.
After the match, Miller said, "I don't remember who shot it but I thought they had a great shot on frame. Coach always tells us to get the rebound, frame the goal, and that's what I did. It felt amazing but our backline did amazing, Cat did amazing, everyone did amazing. We just need to keep going. We have to have a positive attitude and never give up."
Defensively, the Oilers matched their attacking intensity. Though Cedarville generated 12 shots, Findlay's back line limited them mostly to low-danger opportunities, allowing just one shot on target in the final 10 minutes.
Senior goalkeeper Cat Graves delivered a standout performance with 5 saves, including a diving stop in the 28th minute and two crucial late denials in the 87th, securing her sixth win and seventh shutout of the year.
Findlay earned 3 corners, stayed disciplined with 8 fouls, and held their composure even as Cedarville controlled portions of possession.
Head Coach Sierra Tom praised her team's determination and senior leadership following the match: "I knew they could do it, I knew they wanted it bad enough and that is what got us over the edge. It means everything [to make it to the championship match], this is really for the senior class, they are a special, special group and to see them succeed is everything. The message on Saturday is to just give it your all. We have absolutely nothing to lose and this group deserves the world."
With the win, the Oilers improve to 12-3-4 and advance to the 2025 Great Midwest Women's Soccer Championship on Saturday, November 15 at 5 p.m., where they'll face the winner of Ashland vs. Northwood.
The Oilers now set their sights on capturing their first G-MAC title since 2021, aiming to finish their postseason run with program history on the line.
