Nov. 19, 2007

Daytona Beach, Fla. - The Semifinal round of the 2007 NAIA Women's Soccer National Championship is set with both games to be played on Monday, Nov. 19. The Championship, hosted by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Fla.), is played at the Embry-Riddle Soccer Stadium. The Championship final is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 20 at 7 p.m. (EST).

 

SEMIFINAL PREVIEW:

• Game #17: No. 1 Lee (Tenn.) vs. No. 5 Martin Methodist (Tenn.), 6:00 p.m. EST

In the evening's (Nov. 19) first semifinal contest, No. 1 Lee (Tenn.) faces No. 5 Martin Methodist (Tenn.) at 6 p.m. (EST). Lee holds a 22-1-0 season mark and has rattled off 17 straight wins. The Lady Flames sat on top of the NAIA Coaches' Top 25 Poll for the final six weeks of the regular season and entered the tournament favorites to win this years championship. Martin Methodist is coming off a dramatic victory over No. 4 Concordia (Ore.) and currently stands at 18-4. The Redhawks are making their third straight trip to the semifinals where Lee advances for the second time in the last three years. 

 

Tonight's game will be the second meeting this season between the two schools. Lee previously downed Martin Methodist on Sept. 15 by a score of 4-1.

 

• Game #18: No. 3 Azusa Pacific (Calif.) vs. No. 2 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.), 8:00 p.m. EST

The second semifinal contest is sure to be another battle between No. 3 Azusa Pacific (Calif.) and No. 2 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) at 8:00 p.m. Azusa Pacific enters the game at  19-1-1 having easily defeated No. 11 Northwood (Fla.) 4-1. The defending national champion Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) stands at 17-2-3 and advanced to the semifinals after blanking Carroll (Mont.) 2-0.

 

This will be the second time the two teams have met this season. Lindsey Wilson defeated Azusa Pacific 1-0 on Sept. 15. The last time the two met in tournament play, The Blue Raiders held off the Cougars in last year's historic four-overtime national championship match. Azusa Pacific leads the all time series 4-2-1.

 

SEMIFINAL NOTES:

• Lee (Tenn.) has made the semifinals for the second time in the last three years.

• Dating back to the regular season, Lee (Tenn.) has now won 17 straight games.

• Martin Methodist advances to the semifinals for the third straight year.

• Azusa Pacific (Calif.) and the defending champions Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) will meet for the second time this season. In the previous match on Sept. 15, Lindsey Wilson defeated Azusa Pacific 1-0.

• Azusa Pacific (Calif.) has won 15 straight games since the loss to Lindsey Wilson on Sept. 15

• Azusa Pacific advances to the semifinals for the second straight year.

• Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) makes it's fifth appearance in the semifinals. It is the blue Raiders second straight appearance and fourth in five seasons.

 

QUARTERFINAL RECAP:

Game #13 - No. 1 Lee (Tenn.) 3, No. 9 St. Xavier(Ill.) 0

Megan Wiliette and Janaina Novaes each tallied three points to lead the top-seeded Lee University Lady Flames (22-1) to a 3-0 win over No. 9 St. Xavier (19-4-2) in the first quarterfinal of the 2007 NAIA Women's Soccer National Tournament on Saturday. With the win, Lee advances to Monday's semifinal to face the winner of the Martin Methodist/Concordia (Ore.) matchup.

 

Novaes and Laren Good assisted on Mable Velarde's goal which came a scant 35 seconds in the match. Novaes got the ball out to Good who hit a cross with her first touch from the right to Velarde for a one-goal lead.

 

The Lady Flames' second goal was scored in similar fashion but from the other side of the field as Marina.

Lima crossed the ball into Willette for her third goal of the season.

 

Novaes scored off Willette's assist in the 78th minute to seal the win and send the Lady Flames into Final Four for the second time in three years.

Game #14: No. 5 Martin Methodist (Tenn.) 4, No. 4 Concordia (Ore.) 2 on PK's

The final score will go down as a 1-1 tie but Martin Methodist (18-3-1) will continue its path towards a national championship after outscoring Concordia (Ore.) (18-2-2) on penalty kicks, 4-2.

 

Concordia netted the first goal of the game with some quick action from inside the penalty box. Clare Sykes passed the ball to Kaitlyn Tebbs and while the pass was contested by the Martin Methodist keeper, Tebbs was relentless and was able to score.

 

Martin Methodist's Julia Bazi scored the equalizer less than four minutes into the second half as Bazi converted on a free kick from beyond the 18-yard box. Bazi also completed the feat during the RedHawks second round game against King.

 

Both teams had opportunities to score in regulation and two periods of overtime, but neither was able to capitalize and as a result both teams had to go to the penalty spot to decide the outcome.

 

After three attempts, each team had converted on two. Martin Methodist's Victoria Charnley stepped up for the RedHawks and slipped the ball in past Concordia's keeper. Carli Godard looked to even things up but was unable to get past Sarah Predergast. Justine Pronovost stepped up with the chance to clinch the game for the RedHawks and did so by sending the ball to the back of the net.

 

The ladies of Martin Methodist then gathered in the center of the field to celebrate their upcoming appearance in the semifinals of the 2007 NAIA Women's Soccer National Tournament.

 

Game #15: No. 3 Azusa Pacific (Calif.) 4, No. 11 Northwood (Fla.) 1

The third-seeded Azusa Pacific women's soccer team registered a decisive 4-1 victory over No. 11 Northwood (Fla.) to move on to the semifinals of the NAIA National Women's Soccer Championship on Friday. APU (19-1-1) awaits the winner of Saturday's late game between Lindsey Wilson and Carroll (Mont.).

 

The Cougars won a corner kick in the seventh minute and Lynsey Domene's cross fell to Bridget Brotherton in the box. Brotherton's quick touch beat Northwood keeper Adi Jurman to the lower left for a 1-0 APU lead.

 

Katya Salguero's ball over the top allowed Lene Bjerkeli to get in behind the APU defense and Bjerkeli tucked in her 15th goal of the season to tie the score.

 

APU took the lead on a set piece in the 60th minute. Katie Rorabaugh took a free kick from just inside the Northwood half of the field and launched the ball into the box where Brotherton was on hand to head the ball to Sarah Yoro for the go ahead goal.

 

The Cougars third goal came in the 76th minute when Broad's low cross from the left side found its way into the box and Domene hit a one-touch volley with the inside of her foot into the right netting to increase the lead to 3-1.

 

With just over five minutes remaining, Grace Eleyae crossed to Broad who rifled a shot to the lower left corner to put the game out of reach.

 

Game #16: No. 2 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 2, No. 7 Carroll (Mont.) 0

Thanks to a 2-0 victory over #7 Carroll College, #2 Lindsey Wilson is headed to the semifinals of the 2007 NAIA Women's Soccer National Championships.

 

The Blue Raiders (17-2-3) advance over the Saints (17-2-3) after a two-goal performance by Sashsheena Stewart. Her first goal of the tournament and ninth goal this season came in the 41st minute after a pass from Omolyn Davis. Stewart sent a cannon of a shot towards the Carroll keeper and it proved to be too much to handle for Nikki Skaggs.

 

Stewart entered double digits for goals on the season when she took the ball down the final third of the field after a Kimmia Parker pass and scored in the 87th minute.

 

 

2007 CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE & RESULTS

 

First Round - Wednesday, Nov. 14

Game #1 - #17 McKendree (Ill.) defeated #16 SUNY Canton (NY) 2-0

Game #2 - #18 Southern Nazarene (Okla.) defeated # 15 Morningside 2-1 in OT

Game #3 - #14 Houghton (NY) defeated #19 Cornerstone (Mich.) 1-0

Game #4 - #13 Kansas Wesleyan defeated #20 Embry-Riddle (Fla.) 2-0

 

Second Round - Thursday, Nov. 15 and Friday, Nov. 16

Game #5 - #1 Lee (Tenn.) defeated  #17 McKendree (Ill.) 1-0

Game #6 - #2 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) defeated #18 Southern Nazarene 2-0

Game #7 - #3 Azusa Pacific (Calif.) defeated #14 Houghton (NY) 3-0

Game #8 - #4 Concordia (Ore.) defeated Kansas Wesleyan 2-0

Game #9 - #9 St. Xavier (Ill.) defeated #8 SCAD (Ga.) 3-1

Game #10 - #5 Martin Methodist defeated #12 King (Tenn.) 3-0

Game #11 - #11 Northwood (Fla.) defeated #6 William Jewell (Mo.) 2-1

Game #12 - #7 Carroll (Mont.) defeated #10 Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.) 2-1

 

Quarterfinals - Saturday, Nov. 17

Game #13 - #1 Lee defeated #9 St. Xavier 3-0

Game #14 - #5 Martin Methodist defeated #4 Concordia 4-2 on PK's

Game #15 - #3 Azusa Pacific defeated #11 Northwood 4-1

Game #16 - #2 Lindsey Wilson defeated #7 Carroll 2-0

 

Semifinals - Monday, Nov. 19

Game #17 - #1 Lee vs. #5 Martin Methodist - 6:00 p.m.

Game #18 - #3 Azusa Pacific vs. #2 Lindsey Wilson - 8:00 p.m.

 

Championship - Tuesday, Nov. 20

Championship final - 7:00 p.m.