Winingham’s heroics lift JBU to win

JOHN BROWN 4, BAKER (KAN.) 3

No moment is too big for John Brown’s Ryan Winingham.

Winingham, a freshman from Highlands Ranch, Colo., headed in a corner kick off the foot of Vanessa Reynoso in the 89th minute for the game-winning goal as No. 11 John Brown defeated No. 19 Baker (Kan.) 4-3 on Thursday in an opening round semifinal game of the NAIA National Championships at Alumni Field.

It was Winingham’s second goal of the night and JBU’s biggest of the season as the Golden Eagles survived a frantic, goal-filled second half.

“It was unbelievable,” JBU coach Kathleen Paulsen said of Winingham’s game-winner. “She’s proven to be big time in big time moments, consistently.”

With the win, the Golden Eagles advanced today’s Opening Round final against No. 1 seed Oklahoma Wesleyan with a spot in the NAIA National Championship final site at Foley, Ala., on the line.

JBU (13-0) had watched a 3-1 lead slip away in the second half Thursday as Baker in the 64th and 78th minutes and had the Golden Eagles reeling.

The Golden Eagles, though were able to turn the field late in the match setting up Winingham’s game-winning heroics.

“This is a big moment for us,” Paulsen said. “We haven’t been in this situation super often this season. It’s good to know that when our back is against the wall we can have a good moment like that. I think that’s just huge for us moving forward. Baker’s a quality side, a quality team.”

As the clock ticked into the 89th minute, Reynoso subbed in and jogged to the far corner to take a corner kick for the Golden Eagles. Reynoso’s kick found Winingham at the back post.

“My mentality is I just track the ball,” Winingham said. “That’s what I focus on most on our set pieces is just that’s my job, owning the responsibility to get my head, get something on it. Honestly I just zone everything else out and focus on the ball and putting it in the net. Super fun, exhilarating for sure.”

Paulsen and Winingham both gave credit to Reynoso for her pass into the box.

“That’s what she does,” Paulsen said. It was Reynoso’s fourth assist of the season.

“For her to just sub right in, that’s what this team is,” Winingham said. “We’re versatile. We can capitalize on any given moment. That was a perfect ball from her. The back spin on it perfectly set back to my head. I couldn’t ask for a better service than that.”

JBU led 1-0 at halftime with the only goal in the first half coming on a Paige Kula penalty kick in the 17th minute.

Baker stunned the Golden Eagles less than three minutes into the second half when Kendall Staley scored in the 48th minute to tie the match 1-1.

A little more than four minutes later, Winingham scored her first goal of the game, when she connected on a header from a Kula free kick.

Rogers’ Sienna Nealon-Carballo, the Sooner Athletic Conference Most Valuable Player, scored about three minutes later when her shot from outside of the box found the back of the net to give JBU a 3-1 lead.

Baker’s Anna Chieu scored on a penalty kick in the 64th minute to cut the lead to 3-2 and Haleigh Harris found the back of the net to tie the game 3-3 in the 78th minute.

The Wildcats (11-6-1) had another great scoring chance but JBU goalkeeper Caitlyn Logan made two straight saves, including the second diving with one hand, to keep the score tied 3-3. Logan finished with six saves.

“We just haven’t been in that situation before,” Paulsen said. “You don’t know what you don’t know until your back’s against the wall. It’s good to know that they can rise to the moment.”