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Asbury Athletics fielded five teams in competition this week, including mens and womens soccer combining for a 3-0 record in Michigan to end their regular seasons.

Womens soccer

The Eagles (2-9-4) traveled to Great Lakes Christian College (6-5-1) in Lansing, Mi., on Thursday, Oct. 26. In a competitive, hard-fought match, the Eagles came away with a win, 2-1.

Reese Bolton and Mary Tidei both scored goals for AU in the match. Deidra Long, Caroline Absher, Anna Sparks, and Maggie Higdon all added shots on goal in the win. Violette Moore and Maliya Crump each got 45 minutes in goal tonight for the Eagles. The two combined for two saves and only one goal in the combined win. This concludes the 2023 season for AU team as they now head into the offseason with high hopes for the 2024 year.

Mens soccer

The Eagles soccer team (10-2-4) traveled to Lansing, Mi., to take on NCCAA opponent, Great Lakes Christian College (5-7-2) on Thursday, Oct. 26. Despite the Crusaders taking a 1-0 lead in the second half, AU battled back to score two goals in the last 12 minutes of the match to take a 2-1 victory for their eighth win of the year. The game-winning goal came off the foot of Asbury freshman Jason Flaming in the last 25 seconds, giving the Eagles the 2-1 win. Flaming now has five goals in his first year as an Eagle, just one behind Austin Dunlap with a team-leading six goals.

AU hit the road on Saturday, Oct. 27, to take on NCCAA opponent Grace Christian University (5-7-4) in their last matchup of the regular season. The Eagles, led by Ryan Kim with two goals, pushed past the Tigers and secured their tenth victory in a 5-1 match. Ryan Kim led AU, grabbing two goals with one coming in each half. Kim led the Eagles with shots, putting six up with three on goal. Other goal scorers for AU included Austin Dunlap, Nick Eller, and Salat Kipterit. Dunlap’s goal against the Tigers puts him at seven for the year, still leading the Eagles and setting a career-high for him. The Eagles now head into postseason play, where they will be hosting the 2023 NCCAA MidEast Regionals in Wilmore, Nov. 16-18.

Volleyball

Junior Emma Grace Gray earned her 12th double-double match this season with 12 kills and 10 digs, but Asbury (9-14) fell on Thursday, Oct. 26 in Columbia. to Lindsey Wilson College (14-13) in three sets. Gray now has 15 matches this season with double-digit kills and 16 with double-digit digs. Lucy Kate Gray played in her first match in over a week, dishing 16 assists to lead AU. Freshman McKenna Rumage had three blocks for Asbury, while Sidney Haysley was second on the team in kills with eight.

Swimming

Four different Eagles took first-pace finishes on Friday, Oct. 27,  in Wilmore as AU slipped in the overall total against Union (139.5, 203.5) but defeated the Bulldogs in the women’s scoring (05.5, 75,5) to take the Asbury women’s swimming team to 3-0. Amber Schulte, Jenna Davis, and Emme Johnson all took wins for the Asbury women’s swimming team. Schulte won the 200 freestyle, Davis the 50 freestyle, and Johnson the 200 backstroke. The women also won two key relays on the night, taking the 400 medley (Emme Johnson, Chloe Anderson, Joy Killingsworth, Claire Hentrup) and 400 freestyle (Claire Hentrup, Emily Poll, Amber Schulte, Emme Johnson) relays. Ian Wang took first place for AU in the men’s 200 IM, securing a time of 1:59.97. The men’s team also had Braden Vincent (100 freestyle) and Zach Montiel (200 breaststroke) take second place finishes during the meet.

Golf

Sophomore Joao Costa led Asbury with a 74 on Wednesday, Oct. 25,  to take 11th place individually in the NCCAA National Championship as the Eagles finished eighth as a team after three rounds in consecutive days in Palm Coast, Fl. Costa finished +12 on the week, just two strokes away from the top ten individually. The Wednesday 74 was his best golf of the week as he made four birdies and nine pars for one of the lowest rounds in the field. Costa took second place individually in the NCCAA Mideast Regional to help lead Asbury to the at-large bid they received to play in the National Championship. Asbury freshman Gideon Coleman stepped up on day three with three birdies and seven pars to shoot a 79. Coleman also shot an 82 on day one with two birdies to score for AU. Garrett Sturges was the other Eagle to shoot in the 70’s for AU, making two birdies and 11 pars to lead into his 78 in the final day. Sturges shot his lowest score of the week in the first round with a 77 off two birdies and 10 pars.