Concordia's Danielle Macbride connected for her first goal of the season on Wednesday.
Cavaliers Take Another Step Towards Successful Title Defense with 4-0 Win Versus Corban in CCC Semis
BEAVERTON, Ore.—Holding a 1-0 lead with 10 minutes left in the first period, Concordia netted a pair of late first-half goals to help their march to a 4-0 win over Corban to advance to the Cascade Collegiate Conference women’s soccer championship match.
Concordia, winners of eight straight CCC championships, improved to 18-0-1 on the year while Corban ended its season with an 8-11-1 mark. The Cavaliers will host The College of Idaho on Nov. 12 at the Tualatin Hills Park and Recreation Complex for the CCC title match and the right for the automatic entry into the NAIA national championships held in Daytona Beach, Fla., in early December.
“It was a good first step for us in the postseason,” Concordia head coach Grant Landy said. “I thought for us not playing for an entire week, we were pretty sharp, especially given the field conditions.”
Just four minutes into the game, Shea Miller (Azalea, Ore.) got the Cavs on the board with her 17th score of the season after placing a header from the left side into the far post and past Warrior keeper Karyn Allen (Merlin, Ore.).
The score would remain at 1-0 for the next 30-plus minutes as both teams struggled to find a proper shot on frame.
Concordia’s Danielle MacBride (McMinnville, Ore.) would end the drought with a close-ranged tap in the 37th minute to double the CU lead while Sami Andrews (Camas, Wash.) would stretch the gap to three with an eight-yard strike with less than two minutes remaining in the period.
“I was especially happy with how we played in the last 10 minutes of the first half,” Landy said. “We talked to the team how early goals are important against a team that’s revved up to play against you, but those late goals were definitely a turning point.”
Jessica Ramback (Mill Creek, Wash.) provided the final punch for the Cavs by converting for her conference-leading 18th goal of the season in the 56th minute of action.
Georgie Christensen (Hillsboro, Ore.) played the full 90 minutes in goal for the Cavs, earning the shutout despite not recording a save. Allen and Jennifer Bassett (Keizer, Ore.) shared time in goal for the Warriors. Allen posted nine saves while Bassett rejected two CU attempts.
Concordia outshot its opponent 20-to-4 and created 11 corner kick opportunities compaed to a solo chance for the Warriors.
Amanda Mendenhall (Windsor, Calif.) took two of the four Warrior shots, including an attempt which struck the right crossbar in the 86th minute for Corban’s best scoring opportunity of the night.
“Any time a team is facing elimination you are going to get a fight. Now we have to turn our focus to the Yotes. They caused us some problems when we played over, so we know to expect a challenge,” Landy said.