The William Woods University women's soccer team earned an important American Midwest Conference victory Wednesday night on Firley Field.  The Owls defeated Park University 1-0 to move into first place in the AMC.  The two teams entered the night unbeaten in AMC play.  The Owls and Pirates gave a packed Firley Field a great match.
 
William Woods scored the only goal of the match in the fourth minute of play.  Kelsey Sanders (Jefferson City, Mo.) fired a shot from the left wing.  Her shot hit the arms of Park goalkeeper Ellen Ghirardi.  Ghirardi was unable to secure the shot and the ricochet found the right foot of this week's AMC Offensive Player of the Week Stephanie Kirvan (Sunrise Beach, Mo.).  Kirvan blasted a shot into the back of the net for what turned out to be the game winning goal.  Kirvan now has four goals on the season.  She has scored all of them in the last three matches.
 
The Owls defense took over from there.  Woods repelled every scoring opportunity the Pirates managed down the stretch.  Kelly Abernathy (St. Charles, Mo.), this week's AMC Defensive Player of the Week, recorded five saves in the shutout victory.  It was the fourth shutout of the season for the Owls.  Abernathy now has three shutouts for the year.
 
Park (5-4, 3-1) recorded 16 shots on the night.  William Woods (5-3-1, 4-0) tallied eight shots.
 
The Owls return to action October 1.  Woods will travel to AMC foe Benedictine University-Springfield.  Kick-off is at 1 pm in Springfield, Ill.