Concordia's Jessica Ramback scored in the 13th minute to gove the Cavaliers an early 1-0 lead.
Cavaliers Defeat Top-Ranked Lindsey Wilson 3-0 to Advance to NAIA National Championship Game
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. –The Concordia University women’s soccer team extended its undefeated season with a 3-0 win over top-seeded Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) to advance to the NAIA Women’s Soccer National Championship.
Concordia, now 23-0-1 on the year, will face the Lee University (Tenn.) in the championship match at 6 p.m. (EST) on Saturday. Lee (23-1-0), the No. 3 seed, defeated Trinity Christian (Ill.) 3-2 in the other semifinal match on Friday.
“For 90 minutes it was one of our best efforts for our team this season,” Concordia head coach Grant Landy said. “The team has been solid all week and now we have to maintain that consistency and effort for another 90 minute.”
Concordia, the No. 5 seed in the tournament, will make its second championship appearance in the program’s history. The Cavaliers previously made the title match in 2004 where they were handed a 2-0 loss against Lindsey Wilson.
“We had never beaten them (Lindsey Wilson) before. We have a lot of respect for what they have done over there, but today was our day. It was a big win for our program,” Landy said.
The Cavaliers got on the board early in the first period with a Jessica Ramback goal. In the 13th minute, Ramback took a feed from teammate Shea Miller, and sent the ball trickling into the lower corner for the 1-0 lead. That score was the first given up by Lindsey Wilson in more than 10 full matches.
“We wanted to get the first one in and have them chase us, and Jessie (Ramback) was able to give us that boost today,” Landy said.
The Cavs dominated possession in the first half, outshooting the Blue Raiders 7-to-0 over the first 45 minutes, but could not find a way to increase the gap against the top-ranked squad.
The Cavaliers were finally able to stretch the lead with a long-ranged shot from Caitlin Verhofstadt in the 75th minute, redeeming herself after a missed opportunity n a direct kick from just outside the box moments earlier. The Cascade Collegiate Conference assist leader, the goal represented just the second of the season for Verhofstadt.
The Blue Raiders took five shots at the Cavalier net in the second period without success, with only one attempt registering as a shot on goal. After a called handball in the box minute, Kimmia Parker provided the best chance for Lindsey Wilson to score with a penalty kick in the 83rd minute, but the Blue Raiders would come up empty as CU keeper Georgie Christensen swatted the ball away with a diving effort to her right.
“With seven minutes left anything can happen,” Landy said. “Georgie made an absolute great save on the penalty kick. Her play fueled our team the rest of the way.”
Ramback would send the ball into the back of the net in the final second of the match for her second score of the day and her 22nd of the season, prompting the Cavalier bench to burst onto the field. After clearing the pitch, the officials resumed play for the final second, capping the 3-0 Cavalier win.
“Our forwards really made a big difference in the game today,” Landy said. “I don’t know if they had played up to their potential up to this point but as whole our bunch did an outstanding job on the attack.”
Concordia, in its eighth straight appearance at the NAIA tournament, has never faced Lee University. Lee is in their fifth straight appearance at the national championships and will be making their second trip the championship match. The Lady Flames lost to Martin Methodist 1-0 in the 2005 finale.