Top Seeds California and Kutztown Advance to Women's Soccer Championship Game
Top-seeded California and second-seeded Kutztown outscored their opponents by a combined 9-1 score in their two semifinals today and the Vulcans and Golden Bears will now battle for the PSAC championship on Saturday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. Both squads will be seeking the first PSAC title in school history.
California 5, Edinboro 1
Carley Work and Breeanna Robinson each scored two goals while Robinson had two assists and Work also added an assist to lead top-seeded and unbeaten California to a 5-1 win over fourth-seeded Edinboro. The Vulcans played a player up for the majority of the contest after Edinboro goalkeeper Kate Stukbauer was given a red card in the 17th minute for tripping Robinson in the box. That play resulted in a penalty kick for Cal, which was converted by Kristen Orrett, who was also the recipient of the PSAC Champion Scholar Award. The PK made it 2-0 for the Vulcans after Work had given Cal a 1-0 lead just 1:44 into the contest. Robinson made it 3-0 just less than three minutes into the second half. The Fighting Scots got on the board with Steph Tighe's goal in the 57th minute to make it 3-1 but later in the half, Work and Robinson scored just under two minutes apart to make it 5-1, each assisting on the other's goal. The win advances the Vulcans to the championship game for the second straight season.
Kutztown 4, Slippery Rock 0
Kutztown's Sarah Black scored two goals just over eight minutes apart in the first half, her first two goals of the season, and that would be all the second-seeded Golden Bears needed as Kutztown topped third-seeded Slippery Rock 4-0. Black scored her first goal at the 17:50 mark off an assist from Maria Borland and then added an unassisted tally in the 27th minute. Crystal Zerbe made it 3-0 with a goal just before halftime, assisted by Robi Mink. Janine Valerio capped the scoring with a goal in the 60th minute, assisted by Samantha Moyer. The goals scored were the first against The Rock in over 1,000 minutes as the loss broke an 11-game winning streak, all of which were shutouts. Ironically, Kutztown was the last team to score on Slippery Rock back on September 24 before Rock embarked on its long shutout streak. The win advances Kutztown to the championship game for the second time in the last three years and the third time in the last seven seasons. The Bears fell to West Chester 2-1 in 2009 and 1-0 to Slippery Rock in 2005.
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All four of the higher seeds and hosts on Tuesday advanced in the PSAC Women's Soccer Tournament. California earned the right to host the semifinals and championship match this Friday and Saturday as the highest remaining seed.
California 3, Bloomsburg 1
The top-seeded and unbeaten Vulcans got goals from three different players, all in the first period, to coast to a 3-1 win over eighth-seeded Bloomsburg. Carley Work scored in just the fourth minute to stake the Vulcans to an early 1-0 lead. Chaning Wimer scored just over 10 minutes later and Erin Hogan made it 3-0 in the 31st minute. Bloomsburg's Jamie Vaniver scored in the 81st minute to account for the Huskies' only goal.
Kutztown 2, Gannon 1
After a scoreless first 77 minutes, action picked up late in the Gannon-Kutztown match as all three goals were scored in the final 12 minutes. The Golden Bears' Carolynne Kahl and Taylor Higgins scored just 36 seconds apart in the 78th minute to account to both Kutztown goals. Gannon's Katie Urban tallied a score in the 88th minute.
Slippery Rock 1, West Chester 0
The Rock recorded its 11th straight win, all via the shutout, as it eliminated defending tournament champion West Chester, 1-0. Kara Mullins scored the lone goal for The Rock in the 69th minute as she took a pass through the defense from Lucy Hannon up the middle and chipped it over the keeper to account for the only goal of the game.
Edinboro 2, IUP 0
Edinboro received a pair of first half goals and that was all the Fighting Scots needed to knock off IUP and advance to their first PSAC tournament semifinal since 2007. Becca Costello scored in the 12th minute off an assist from Karisa Fernandez while Samantha Kaiser tallied one in the 33rd minute from Catherine Messmer.
Updated PSAC Tournament Schedule
Friday, November 4 (Semifinals - at California)
(4) Edinboro vs. (1) California, 11:00 a.m.
(3) Slippery Rock vs. (2) Kutztown, 1:30 p.m.
Saturday, November 5 (Championship - at California)
Edinboro/California vs. Slippery Rock/Kutztown, 4:00 p.m.
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Lock Haven, Pa. - The field and quarterfinal matchups have been set for the 2011 PSAC women's soccer tournament. There will be four quarterfinal matches held at the site of the higher seed on Tuesday, November 1. The highest remaining seed after the quarterfinals will then host the semifinals and championship next Friday and Saturday, November 4-5.
California wrapped up the season undefeated at 12-0-2 in the PSAC to claim the regular season championship and top seed. The Vulcans, who are also undefeated overall at 15-0-2, will host the No. 8 seed Bloomsburg. Kutztown edged out Slippery Rock by one point in the standings to finish second and claim the No. 2 seed. The Golden Bears will face the No. 7 seed Gannon. The Golden Knights finished tied with Bloomsburg in the standings with 22 points but won out on the tiebreaker based on their win over fourth place Edinboro, while Bloomsburg lost to Edinboro. The Rock is the No. 3 seed and it will host two-time defending tournament champion West Chester, the No. 6 seed. Edinboro will host fifth-seeded IUP in the other quarterfinal.
PSAC Women's Soccer Tournament
Tuesday, November 1 (Quarterfinals - at site of higher seed)
(7) Gannon vs. (2) Kutztown, 1:00 p.m. (Game to be played at West Chester, please note change as of Monday morning)
(6) West Chester at (3) Slippery Rock, 1:00 p.m.
(8) Bloomsburg at (1) California, 6:00 p.m.
(5) IUP at (4) Edinboro, 6:00 p.m.
Friday, November 4 (Semifinals - at highest remaining seed)
Bloomsburg/California vs. IUP/Edinboro, TBA
Gannon/Kutztown vs. West Chester/Slippery Rock, TBA
Saturday, November 5 (Championship)
Bloomsburg/California/IUP/Edinboro vs. Gannon/Kutztown/West Chester/Slippery Rock, 4:00 p.m.