CORPUS CHRISTI – With the Southland Conference Tournament Championship on the line, the East Texas A&M University soccer team and Stephen F. Austin battled for 90 minutes on a hot and humid Sunday afternoon at Dr. Jack Duggan Soccer & Track Stadium. The Lumberjacks scored two late goals to end the Lions' season.
 
The Lions played in the SLC Tournament Championship match for the second time in three years, falling by two goals to the regular season champion both times. East Texas A&M ends the season with a record of 9-10-3 and is the only team in the Southland to finish in the top three in each of the last three seasons.
 
SFA wins the SLC Tournament Championship and regular season championship in its first season back in the conference and heads to the NCAA Tournament next week with a record of 14-3-2. The Lions beat the Lumberjacks in the regular season.
 
The Lumberjacks outshot the Lions 8-2 in the first half, but the Lions did have a shot on goal, which was a team save by SFA. Veronica Pacione (Birdville) picked up three saves in the first half for East Texas A&M.
 
Playing in her first postseason as a true freshman, Pacione started all three matches in Corpus Christi this week, making four saves on Sunday.
 
Neither side was able to get a shot past the other team's goalkeeper through the first 78 minutes of the match. In the 79^th minute, the Lumberjacks drew first blood on a corner kick by Ava Shannon, which was headed in by Erin Morgan, just her second goal this season.
 
On a counterattack attempt in the 86^th minute, Jayme Bailey scored her 10^th goal of the season with an assist from Lily Hargrove. SFA outshot the Lions 15-7.
 
For the Lions, Kaydence Ramirez (Waxahachie), the SLC Player of the Year, led the team with two shots.
 
Ramirez was named to the all-tournament team for the Lions, scoring two goals this week, along with Nia Chacon (Rowlett – Sachse) and Savannah Powell (Arlington – Martin). The full SLC all-tournament team can be seen below.
 
ALL TOURNAMENT TEAM
Jayme Bailey, SFA (MVP)
Ella Morgan, SFA
Erin Morgan SFA
Maddie Bowers, SFA
Brielle Buchanan, SFA
Ava Shannon, SFA
Nia Chacon, East Texas A&M
Savannah Powell, East Texas A&M
Kaydence Ramirez, East Texas A&M
Libe Banuelos, Northwestern State
Storm Harris, A&M-Corpus Christi
 
Sunday was the final match as Lions for fifth-year players Mindy Shoffit (Wichita Falls – Rider) and Melissa Storey (Tyne and Wear, England) as well as Addy Higgins (Ursuline Academy), Hailey Griffin (Byron Nelson), Powell, Camila Montero (Langham Creek), and Marina Vera (Elko, Nev.).
 
The Lions return seven of the 11 starters from Sunday's championship match next season.

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