SEATTLE U FALLS TO SOUTH CAROLINA IN NCAA SECOND ROUND
The game a scoreless draw through 110 minutes of play, the match would be decided by penalty kicks. No. 18 South Carolina (13-5-5) would advance, 2-1, on penalty kicks as Seattle University women’s soccer’s (15-4-3) historic season would end in the NCAA Tournament Second Round in Chapel Hill, N.C.
The teams tied, 1-1, in penalty kicks through the first four for each team, Chelsea Drennan netted the ball that would advance the Gamecocks to the Sweet 16 vs. the winner of Colorado/No. 6 North Carolina.
REDHAWKS KNOCK OFF COUGARS IN NCAA FIRST ROUND
Seattle University women’s soccer played Washington State through regulation and into a second of two overtimes before Natasha Howe drove in the game winner to advance the Redhawks, 2-1, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
In the 108th minute, Howe dribbled past a pair of defenders and beat the goalkeeper in the far post for the unassisted game-winner. The Redhawks struck first in the 33rd minute as Stephanie Verdoia dribbled past a defender and beat the WSU keeper from eight yards out to give SU a 1-0 lead through halftime.
With just over 10 minutes left in regulation, in the 80th minute, Beau Bremer crossed the ball in to Mariah Powers who tied the game, 1-1, which would ultimately send the match into overtime. Verdoia led Seattle U with four shots, two on goal as SU outshot WSU, 12-10. In goal, Brianna Smallidge made five saves in the complete game victory while Gurveen Clair made three saves in the complete game loss.
The match marks the first ever win for the Redhawks in the NCAA Tournament as well as the first victory over the Cougars all-time.
SEATTLE U WINS SECOND STRAIGHT WAC TITLE
SEATTLE - The flood gates opened up early in the second half as the Seattle U Redhawks won the 2014 WAC Women’s Soccer Tournament with a 5-0 win over the Missouri-Kansas City Redhawks on Sunday afternoon on Championship Field.
After Julia Moravec gave Seattle U a 1-0 lead in the 11th minute, she scored again in the 52nd minute and the Redhawks would scored three more goals over the next 10 minutes as UMKC saw a record-breaking season come to an end in Seattle.
ALL-WAC TEAMS ANNOUNCED
The Western Athletic Conference women’s soccer postseason award winners as selected by the league’s eight head coaches have been announced. WAC regular season co-champion Seattle U lead all teams with six players selected to the all-WAC team, including three on the first team and three on the second team.
Seattle U senior Stephanie Verdoia repeated as the WAC’s Offensive Player of the Year, while Utah Valley senior defender Lexi Robison was named Defensive Player of the Year. Grand Canyon took the final two individual awards as goalkeeper Blakely Fraasch was named WAC Freshman of the Year and Stevie Gill was selected by his peers at Coach of the Year.
Verdoia, from Salt Lake City, Utah (Brighton HS), led the WAC in every offensive category during the regular season. Her 18 regular season goals are second nationally, as are her 47 points. She also tallied 11 assists in the regular season to go with six game-winning goals.
Robison, from Orem, Utah (Mountain View HS), paced one of the top defenses in the WAC. Under her leadership, the Wolverines recorded a conference-best nine shutouts on the season and were second-best in goals against average at 0.83.
Fraasch, from Prior Lake, Minn. (Prior Lake HS), was among the top net minders in the conference this season. She posted a 0.87 goals-against average in 825:47 played, allowing just eight goals on 47 shots for a .855 save percentage. She earned WAC Defensive Player of the Week honors twice this season.
Gill, in his seventh year at Grand Canyon, led the Antelopes to a third-place finish in the WAC this season. The captain of the 1996 GCU men’s soccer team that won the NCAA Division II National Championship, he holds a record of 57-63-12 at Grand Canyon, including 11-10-1 in two seasons in the WAC.
WAC STAT LEADERS
Among team leaders, co-champions Seattle U and Missouri-Kansas City finished the regular season leading many of the categories. Seattle U is tops in points per game (8.44), goals per game (3.00), and assists per game (2.44) while Missouri-Kansas City leads in shots per game (17.53), goals allowed (0.74) and goals-against average (0.70). Chicago State finished their inaugural season leading the WAC in saves per game (11.00) while Utah Valley holds the conference lead in shutouts at nine.
Individually, Seattle U’s Stephanie Verdoia leads the conference in shots per game (5.11), points per game (2.72), goals per game (1.06), assists per game (0.61) and game-winning goals (6). Missouri-Kansas City keeper Nina Tzianos is tops in goals against average (0.65) and save percentage (0.882). Bakersfield’s Tori Ornela holds the lead in saves (5.42), Chicago State’s Carrie Hepp leads in saves per game (7.69) and Utah Valley’s Jessica Duffin leads the conference in shutouts (9).
SU’s VERDOIA NAMED ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA OF THE YEAR
Seattle University women’s soccer’s Stephanie Verdoia(Salt Lake City, Utah) headlines the 2014 Capital One Academic All-America® Division I soccer teams, named the 2014 Capital One Academic All-America® of the Year for Division I Women’s Soccer. Alongside the prestigious honor, Verdoia also earns a spot on the Academic All-America® First Team for 2014.
Verdoia receives Academic All-America® honors for the second straight year, named Academic All-America® Third Team in 2013, and is a two-time Western Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year after leading the WAC in nearly every offensive category including goals, points, shots, assists, and game-winning goals.
SEATTLE U's STEPHANIE VERDOIA EARNS SENIOR CLASS AWARD
Seattle University women’s soccer’s Stephanie Verdoia (Salt Lake City, Utah) earned two significant honors, announced today, as she is the 2014 Senior CLASS Award® winner for NCAA Division I women’s soccer and was named NSCAA/Continental Tire NCAA Division I Third Team All-American.
The Senior CLASS Award®, chosen by Division I women’s soccer coaches, national soccer media, and fans, is given annually to the most outstanding senior student-athlete in Division I women’s soccer. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and excel in the four C’s – classroom, community, character, and competition.
NINE WAC TEAMS EARN NSCAA COLLEGE TEAM ACADEMIC AWARDS
Nine Western Athletic Conference men’s and women’s soccer squads were recognized with the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Team Academic Award. Women’s programs Grand Canyon, UMKC, New Mexico State and Seattle U along with men’s programs Houston Baptist, Incarnate Word, UMKC, Seattle U and Utah Valley were honored for outstanding work done in the classroom by each school’s student-athletes. A total of 861 soccer teams (279 men, 582 women) posted a team grade point average of 3.0 or higher, thereby earning the NSCAA Team Academic Award for the 2013-14 academic year.
WAC Schools Earning the 2013-14 NSCAA Team Academic Award
School, Coach, Team GPA
Grand Canyon-Women, Stevie Gill, 3.50
Houston Baptist-Men, Steve Jones, 3.17
Incarnate Word-Men, Vince Martinez, 3.15
UMKC-Men, Rick Benben, 3.11
UMKC-Women, Chris Cissell, 3.45
New Mexico State, Freddy Delgado, 3.39
Seattle U-Men, Pete Fewing, 3.17
Seattle U-Women, Julie Woodard, 3.34
Utah Valley-Men, Greg Maas, 3.36