Defending Champs fall 1-0 in Quarterfinals
BOX SCORE
ORANGE BEACH, ALA.—Scoring in the 82nd minute, the No. 5-seeded University of Northwestern Ohio dethroned defending champion Concordia University, 1-0, in the quarterfinals of the NAIA Women's Soccer National Championships on Wednesday.
Concordia, the No. 4 seed in the tournament, ends its season with an 18-2-2 overall record. UNO improved to 21-1-1 on the season and will advance to Friday's semifinal match to face top-seeded Embry Riddle Aeronautical University (Fla.). Embry Riddle defeated No. 9-seeded Benedictine (Kan.) 2-1 in an earlier match on Wednesday.
The match represented the final collegiate game for six Concordia seniors, including five four-year team members. Over the last four seasons, the seniors have helped the Cavaliers compile a 76-11-6 overall record. The team has played in the NAIA National Tournament all four seasons, including making the national championship game in 2011 and winning the national title in 2013.
The Racers generated the first four shot attempts of the match, three of which came in the first 11 minutes of play, before the Cavaliers could muster any attack.
Owning the final 20 minutes of the opening half, Concordia mustered five shots before the break, including two that forced UNO goalkeeper Nadine Stonjek into save situations.
Taking back the momentum it seized at the start of the match, UNO generated an 8-2 edge in total shots in the final 45 minutes of action, but could not break the stalemate until the 82nd minute.
Pauline Quesson started the scoring play by charging toward the end line and delivering a low cross to teammate Alice Coyne. From six yards out, Coyne, one-timed the pass past CU keeper Olivia Brock (Olympia, Wash./Olympia H.S.) for her team-leading 18th goal of the season.
Despite pushing forward over the final eight minutes, Concordia's offense remained stymied by the Pacers back line as UNO did not allow attempt once it obtained the lead.
The Pacers finished with a 12-7 advantage in total shots and a 4-0 edge in corner kicks.
Brock finished the match with four saves, including a diving denial in the first half that kept the board at zeroes. The loss was the first of the career for Brock, who will enter her junior season in net next year with a 24-1-2 overall record.
The loss dropped Concordia's record in quart finals matches to 6-3-3 all-time as the team has advanced past the second round in 12 of the last 14 seasons.