Those who didn’t know her name or who might have doubted her abilities before Wednesday night can now exit the building and cover their heads with a grocery bag. UD freshman Missy Gregg is an All-American and proved it with two goals — including the game-winner — as Dayton outlasted Evansville 3-2 before the largest soccer crowd in Baujan Field history.

In a game of two halves — no pun intended — the Flyers completely dominated the first session with their best soccer of the season. Gregg hit the nets just three minutes into the game with a side-volley near the goal mouth. A few minutes later, Danielle Gillespie cleaned up a loose ball in “the mixer” for a 2-0 Flyer advantage.

Without a doubt, the middle stages of the first half produced the best soccer of the season as Dayton toyed with the Evansville defense with razor-sharp passing, high energy, and a take-no-prisoners attitude. The pace backed off a bit as the half wore down but Dayton maintained the 2-0 lead at intermission.

Soccer coaches will tell you that a two goal lead is the worst lead a team can have. A one-goal lead is close enough to keep everyone playing their best, while a two-goal lead is the first opportunity to coast and put things on the back burner. So went the Flyers as Evansville stormed out of halftime with the same quality play that Dayton exhibited in the first session. The Aces put a foot on the gas and started outhustling, outplaying, out-thinking, and out-wanting the game. The Flyers got lazy, sagged off defensively, and UE burned them for two easy goals in the first 20 minutes of the second half. What had once been a comfortable lead was now a dogfight to the end. Then Missy Gregg said ‘enough’.

With under 15 minutes remaining, Sarah Walker lobbed a beautiful cross in the box and Gregg finished it off with her head as the Flyers took a 3-2 lead and held on down the stretch for the biggest win in any sport at UD since the basketball team upset Illinois in the 1990 NCAAs. The Swiss Army knife of soccer players, Gregg is more than just a bazooka left foot. She can outpass, out-head, outjuke, and outsmart nearly any player she chooses. At 5-9, she uses her body well, establishing position for extended periods of keep-away with the opposition. She makes everyone around her better — the highest compliment there is.

Fans were treated to some of the most fun in and around the University of Dayton in years. We were cheering for a winner, and it felt good to know our team had a chance to go somewhere and be somebody. Flyer fans have been left at the alter so many times in recent years that success feels unnatural. I’m glad the UD womens soccer team reminded us what it feels like because it feels so good.

Without the sensational goalkeeping of Steph Weisenfeld, the Flyers wouldn’t have slipped by Xavier in the A-10 Finals. Without Gregg, Evansville would still be playing. If basketball standout Harold Arceaneax is nicknamed “The Show”, Gregg is “The Showstopper.” When she takes the field, every performance is better than the last.