SEARCY, Ark. – The East Central University soccer team lost a close 1-0 game on the road to Harding University in the 2023 season finale on Saturday morning at Stevens Soccer Stadium.
 
The Tigers (1-12-5, 1-6-5 GAC) generated some promising opportunities while their defense played solid throughout the game, but it was the Bison (4-8-6, 2-5-5 GAC) who managed to break the deadlock with the game's only goal midway through the second half to walk away with the victory.

"We battled and played well today," Head Coach Riley Bailey said. "It has been a long and often times frustrating year, but our ladies kept giving maximum effort every time they took the field. Proud of this group and the way they encourage and love one another."
 
Olivia Witte, Abbie Morris, and Lorianne Baugh led the charge for ECU in the opening frame, producing seven shots in total. However, their efforts were bested by the Harding keeper who made five crucial saves. The Tigers initiated a fierce offense early on, but the Bison's defense intensified, preventing ECU from taking another shot after the 26^th minute. Nevertheless, the ECU defense held firm, fighting off 13 shots from Harding to keep them off the scoreboard heading into halftime.
 
The second half began much like the first, with ECU seizing the initiative and taking the first shots after the break. Cambori Watson and Addisyn Brown both took their chances, but unfortunately, all went wide. It was not until the 73^rd minute that the 0-0 tie was finally broken as an ECU foul led to a Harding free kick. The free-kick effort was deflected twice by the Tiger defenders around the goal area before landing at the feet of a Bison player who tapped it in from the far side to give Harding the 1-0 lead. With three minutes of play left, Amorette Ramos tried to connect on the match-tying goal, but it was denied by the Bison keeper, sealing the 1-0 victory for the Bison.
 
Saturday marked the final match in the orange and black uniforms for Madelyn Bird, Isabella Lopez, Madison Hays, Lorianne Baugh, Claudia Garcia, and Tanja Bauboeck.