From UCO Sports
Chris Brannick, Director of Sports Information
WARRENSBURG, Mo. – Katie Killion’s hat trick led Central Oklahoma to a 4-2 win over Fort Hays State on Friday in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association semifinals.
The First-Team All-MIAA sophomore scored in the 28th minute, the 48th minute, and the 87th minute. Mikayla Lowery scored in the 79th minute on a pass from Lowery. Central Oklahoma will play Central Missouri on Sunday, Nov. 6 at 1 p.m. for the MIAA Championship.
“Katie was focused tonight,” UCO head coach Mike Cook said. “She was really dialed in and showed what she is capable of. The girls around her played great too. I’m really proud of the way the whole team focused tonight. We need to bring that same thing on Sunday.”
The Bronchos kept with the revenge theme. UCO knocked Emporia State out of the tournament in the quarterfinals, avenging a loss from earlier this season. The Bronchos also lost to Fort Hays State in the regular season.
Killion, who has a team-leading 12 goals this season, scored first in the 28th minute. She found some room and put home an unassisted goal in left end of the net to put the Bronchos up 1-0. The teams went to halftime with that score. But it didn’t take long for Killion to change that.
In the 48th minute, Lowery found Killion with a pass, and Killion made it a brace, and 2-0 UCO.
Fort Hays State added its two goals in the 70th minute and the 78th minute. UCO refused to surrender a lead though, as just 50 seconds later, Killion found Lowery, who scored her sixth goal of the season.
In the 87th minute, Killion recorded her first career hat trick on another pass from Lowery to make it 4-2, Bronchos.
Ally Salls picked up the win for the Bronchos in goal. The sophomore made four saves on the night.