THE RUNDOWN
The DBU Women's Soccer team (14-3-2, 11-1-2 Heartland Conference) advanced to its seventh straight Heartland Conference Tournament Final on Thursday with a 1-0 win over Newman (11-6-2, 8-4-2).

Delaney Schmidt broke a scoreless tie in the 88th minute with a header goal on a cross from Abigail Olmos. 

Hope Koym made saves as DBU recorded its fifth straight shutout. 

DBU won the season series from Newman 2-0-1, with each game decided by a goal or less.

Earlier in the day, Rogers State defeated St. Edward's in penalty kicks to deny the Hilltoppers their seventh straight conference final appearance.


THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
 - The Patriots have played in the Heartland Conference Championship final every year since the tournament returned in 2011.

 - DBU is undefeated in its last eight games.

 - The Patriots' five-game shutout streak is their longest since the end of the 2016 season, in which they finished the season without giving up a regulation or overtime goal in their last five games.


COACH MICHELLE LENARD ON A TOUGH BATTLE
"[Newman is] a very improved team overall from a year or two ago - very athletic, very fast. Honestly, they're a very tough matchup for us. We played them tight all three games... I think the girls really did a good job of recognizing how they were trying to play, making adjustments that we asked them to make at halftime, and as the second half went on, we got more and more comfortable... It felt like it was just a matter of time until we got the game-winner."


INSIDE THE NUMBERS
536:19 - The Patriots have not allowed a goal in 536:19 - nearly nine hours of soccer.

6  - DBU has played six games that ended with a score of 1-0. The Patriots are 4-2 in those games and have won four straight such contests.

14 - The Patriots have outscored their opponents 14-0 in the last five games.


UP NEXT
The Patriots face Rogers State for the Heartland Conference Tournament Championship at 1:00 p.m. Saturday at Patriot Soccer Field.