DALLAS, Texas – The 12^th-ranked Angelo State women's soccer team stunned the top-ranked team in the country in DBU to win the 2021 Lone Star Conference Spring Championship, defeating the Patriots 1-0 in overtime to claim the title.
 
Winning their second tournament championship in three years, the Belles finished the season a perfect 10-0-0 after shutting out the top offense in the country.
 
"It's a great feeling, every coach dreams of having a season like this, to play all 10 games and go through a tournament undefeated, it's an awesome feeling," said Head Coach Travis McCorkle. "Every girl on our roster got it done for us tonight and I am really happy for them."
 
ASU's defense remained as consistent as it has all season, notching its eighth shutout while not giving up a single goal during the conference tournament.
 
Avery McMeme led the LSC All-Tournament team, earning Most Valuable Player while four other Belles earned All-Tournament Team honors including defenders Cassidy Hill and Kylie Hampton and midfielders Valerie Solis and Madison Stokes.
 
After 106 minutes without a goal from either side, Neleh Coleman collected a misplayed ball from DBU's keeper, passing to McNeme who sent the game-winner into the net from five yards out to give her team the victory.
 
"Everyone wants to talk about how defense wins championships, and we made a case for that today against a team that was scoring so many goals, beating Division I programs, and we shut them out. It was really satisfying seeing what we wanted to get done today on the field happen."
 
DBU started the match with some early momentum, controlling the ball in their attacking third but were unable to get any real shot attempts, the first coming in the 18^th-minute mark and sailing left of the goal.
 
Both teams continued to battle in the midfield with neither defense breaking as the Belles and Patriots combined for only three shot attempts in the first half.
 
The Belles found some rhythm offensively in the second half as McNeme fired a shot in the opening moments of the period, ending in a save by DBU's Adrianna Schroeder.
 
DBU found its best chance of the night in the 61^st minute as Gabrielle Heller dribbled the ball just inside the box before firing an open shot to the bottom right corner of the goal as ASU's Kira Miller jumped in front to catch the shot for a save.
 
ASU's defense continued to pressure the high-scoring offense of the Patriots, forcing the ball out and creating counter opportunities for the Belles. Stokes nearly scored with a shot to the corner of the net before Schroeder tipped the ball out.
 
With just over 15 minutes to play in the half, McNeme dribbled past one defender before firing a shot on goal from 15 yards out that nearly popped out of the keeper's hands before DBU controlled it once again.
 
In the final minute, the Belles almost put the game away in regulation as Cindy Rodriguez hit a shot over the keeper off a deep cross into the box but rolled just left of the post to send the game to overtime.
 
After 90 minutes of regulation and one overtime period, the match was still level before the Belles scored the game-winner with just under four minutes to play in the second overtime period.
 
Angelo State finished with 13 shots on the night, four landing on goal while holding DBU to nine attempts with only one shot on target.
 
"I hope this is a building block for the future, the 2019 season was frustrating, so I hope this builds out confidence and the players that are here and the newcomers next year are hungry and want to enjoy what this team has tonight."
 
The Belles have now won two tournament titles since the conference began the format starting with the 2012 season. The last tournament championship came during the 2018 campaign, defeating Eastern New Mexico 2-0.