HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Montevallo women's soccer is set to appear in the 2023 Gulf South Conference Championship game against second-seeded Lee on Saturday, Nov. 11 at 12 p.m.
 
CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL
 
For just the third time in program-history, Montevallo will compete for the Gulf South Conference title for the first time since 2019. The Falcons and Lady Flames head into a rematch of the 2019 championship game with Lee making its fourth-straight appearance in the conference championship game including a 3-0 win in the 2021 Spring Championship Series title match.
 
So Far This Season…
For the second-consecutive season, Montevallo eclipsed the 12-win mark with a 3-2 victory over in-state rival West Alabama in a chippy semifinal matchup in Huntsville on Thursday afternoon. The Falcons entered the conference slate with a 3-1 record after its four non-conference matchups. Montevallo opened the conference schedule with a 2-0-2 record including wins over Valdosta State and Shorter with draws against West Georgia and then No. 19 Lee. Montevallo slipped into a three-game losing streak from Sept. 29 to Oct. 6 with losses to West Alabama, Alabama Huntsville, and West Florida. Montevallo rebounded with a 1-1 draw with Spring Hill before going on a five-game tear to close the season. The Falcons posted four-consecutive 2-0 victories over Union, Christian Brothers, Mississippi College and Delta State to close the regular season and earn the fourth seed in the GSC Tournament.
 
In the tournament…
Montevallo faced off with fifth-seeded Union on Varsity Field in the first round of the GSC tournament with the Falcons taking a 1-0 victory with a goal from Isabel Dillehay in the second half. The Falcons then went head-to-head with West Alabama for the third time in 2023. Montevallo broke the season-series tie with a 3-2 semifinal victory behind goals from Angelina Rivas, Morgan Goerhing and Kaeri Ward to set up its date with Lee for the league title on Saturday.
 
Scouting Lee: WATCH | LIVE STATS
Lee enters the final GSC game of the season with an unbeaten 15-0-4 record and an 11-0-2 record in league play. The Lady Flames posted a 2-0-2 record in non-conference action before going on a 3-0 stretch with wins over UWA, UAH, and Auburn Montgomery before the Falcons pulled out a 0-0 tie on Sept. 24. Lee then went on a six-game winning streak with wins over the likes of the No. 4 West Florida and a 5-2 win over Delta State on Oct. 20. The Lady Flames added its final tie of the season with a 1-1 draw against Mississippi College on Oct. 22. Lee finished the regular season with a pair of wins over Tennessee schools CBU and Union.
 
In the Tournament…
Lee began its championship run with a 2-0 victory over seventh-seeded West Georgia at home in the GSC quarterfinals on Nov. 4. The Lady Flames would go on to defeat Mississippi College for the first time this season, 3-1, in the semifinals, setting up the championship game against the Falcons.
 
Series History Against Lee:
Since 2017, the Falcons and the Lady Flames have met ten times with Montevallo holding a slight edge with a 5-4-1 record over that span. The series began with a 3-0 Lee win before the Falcons rattled off four wins in a row in the four matches in 2018 and 2019. The Lady Flames took both matchups in 2020 and 2021 before Montevallo defeated Lee 2-1 in the 2022 regular season. Montevallo fell to the Lady Flames in the first round of the GSC tournament a year ago. The lone tie of the series came on Sept. 24 when the Falcons drew with Lee, 0-0, on the road.
 
Player Highlights:
Montevallo's attack is led by five goals from veteran Kaeir Ward and five goals from freshman Lainey Farabaugh with the freshman leading the Falcons with 12 points. Montevallo also boasts four goals from Angelina Rivas and Kieran Burkey while Alea Taube has tallied three goals in 2023. The Falcons also saw nine other Falcons find a goal this season. Madeline Milby is the Falcons' top passer with a team-high five assists over the course of the season. Falcon goalkeeper Emily Hounsell holds a 9-3-2 record in goal with eight shutouts on the season and 41 saves to lead the Montevallo back line.