WAXAHACHIE - With the adversary in full retreat, Texas Wesleyan University Women's Soccer (9-3, 4-1 SAC) defeated Southwest Assemblies of God (5-8-1, 0-5 SAC) 1-0 in a photo finish Thursday night on the road. The victory, coupled with Central Christian's 3-2 victory over Wayland Baptist earlier this week, has forced a three-way tie at the top of the conference between Texas Wesleyan, University of Science and Arts and Central Christian, who the Lady Rams have already defeated in extra time, 2-1.

SAGU - struggling to gain any momentum in conference play - deployed seven defenders, three midfielders and no forwards, electing to go for a scoreless tie and hold off the Lady Rams despite giving up a barrage of shots. Texas Wesleyan got off 21 different shots, sending SAGU goalkeeper Sarah Palmer into action for nine different saves, six in the first half. Tameir Grosvenor and Katie Baugh each got four shots on target - Cheyanne Moore hit the crossbar in the 23rd minute.

It wasn't until Grosvenor's shot in the 85th minute that settled the score, proving even sitting back and defending for a scoreless tie couldn't stop the conference's top goal scorer, now at 17 on the season. In a way, though, the Lady Lions gameplan worked. Every year this decade, the Lady Rams have scored at least two goals against them, including six last season. But the winless streak against the Lady Rams will continue for SAGU despite a somewhat moral victory.

Rams goalkeeper Lauren Bond had the easiest day. She stood for 90 minutes while SAGU elected not to take a single shot. It's the third game in the last three seasons in conference play a Lady Ram goalkeeper has not had to make a single save in a shutout victory.

STACKED AT THE TOP
The top six teams in the SAC all now have one loss, while the bottom three have a combined 12 losses. John Brown, ranked 7th in the country in the latest coaches poll, is at the bottom of that list, 1-1-1 after a 2-1 loss to USAO. The conference is wide open, although the Lady Rams are the only team to have beaten two one-loss teams through mid-October. The head-to-head tiebreakers are intense:

-John Brown lost to USAO
-USAO lost to Oklahoma City
-Oklahoma City lost to Texas Wesleyan
-Texas Wesleyan lost to Wayland Baptist
-Wayland Baptist lost to Central Christian
-Central Christian lost to Texas Wesleyan

WHAT'S NEXT
Texas Wesleyan hosts University of Science and Arts - one of those SAC leaders - Tuesday October 16. USAO's loss to Oklahoma City was a narrow one - 3-2 - a Stars team Grosvenor and the Rams smoked 3-0. The Drovers are 11-3 overall this season, led by Emma Rice's 15 goals.