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Women's Soccer

Women's Soccer NAIA Nationals vs Azusa Pacific

Sea Lions to Play for NAIA Title

The unseeded Sea Lions advanced to the NAIA Championship Game after edging Azusa Pacific 3-0 on penalty kicks in the national tournament semifinals at the Jack Allen Recreation Complex Friday afternoon. Though officially listed as a 0-0 tie, the Green and Gold will move on to play Lee (TN) for the national title Saturday at 7:00 pm (cst).

Played in frigid conditions that saw temperatures dip into the 30s, the semifinal match was scoreless through regulation and two overtimes and would be decided by penalty kicks. PLNU's freshman keeper Tiffany Kracy stopped two shots and the Cougars were wide on another, while Sea Lions Erica Wessels, Tommie Graham and Lauren Hernandez were each successful on their tries to vault PLNU into Saturday's championship tilt.

“No one expected us to get this far,” Wessels said after the game. “They have been calling us the 'Cinderella team' here in Alabama. Now we have to finish what we started tomorrow.”

Saturday will be the fifth time in school history that a PLNU team has played in the national championship final game. The prior four teams: volleyball (1996), softball (2002 & 2006) and baseball (2009) came up short. Despite wins over Simon Fraser in an Opening Round match and three triumphs at the final site in Alabama (6-1 over Vanguard, 2-1 versus No. 1 Lindsay Wilson and a PK advancement against APU), grabbing the women's soccer national title will be a daunting task for the Sea Lions.

PLNU's opponent, Lee University, is the defending champions and enter the finals with a 20-2-1 record. The second-ranked Flames have cruised through nationals, topping Mount Vernon 3-0, Trinity Christian 4-0, Martin Methodist 3-0 and Concordia (OR) in the other semifinal match 1-0.

Another night of near freezing temperatures is expected for Saturday's title game. It can't be much worse than what the teams have already experienced. The tournament began with heavy rains that turned the main field, and then an alternative pitch, into a quagmire of mud. The rain stopped for the semis, but a cold front took its place.

“We have never played in such cold weather,” PLNU midfielder Lauren Abarca said after topping APU. “We are from Southern California; we aren't used to this. It was so cold we couldn't feel our feet. But our team quickly adapted and it didn't stop us.”

The field was in better shape for Friday's match. Azusa Pacific came out on the attack for the opening minutes and would control much of the game's pace. Over the course of the semifinal, the Cougars had two shots either ring off the post or crossbar. Another two shots that looked destined for the back of the net were spectacularly turned back by Kracy, including one in the first overtime. Kracy ended up notching five saves 110 minutes of play and posted her 14th shutout of the year.

PLNU's back line of Wessles, Graham, Lily Rainey and Lauren Leslie, touted by the NAIA announcing crew as 'the Fab Four', prevented all but a handful of chances to the No. 4-seeded Cougars (17-3-2). The Sea Lions, meanwhile, relied more on their defense and waited for opportunities to arise.

The PLNU offense got off just five shots total, two on goal, in the match. Finally, after neither side could push the ball into the net in 110 minutes, the game went to penalty kicks.

“I actually love PKs,” said Kracy. It's all about staying calm, focused and reading the player. If you go, you go hard. I was calm and excited going into PKs."

The Sea Lions (15-4-4) already have a lot of experience with shootouts, having topped APU in a GSAC semifinal match 3-1 on penalty kicks and then losing to Vanguard in the conference finals on PKs.

“Those times helped,” Kracy admitted. “I have experienced both winning and losing. But I had confidence in the team that we could do it.”

Wessels went first and calmly pushed the ball past APU's Michelle Wieland.

“A PK is all mental,” Wessels said. “Making the first is crucial because it give the rest of the team confidence and momentum.”

The first Cougar attempt by Katie Rorabaugh went right, but so did Kracy who knocked the ball out of harm's way. Graham then slid her PK into the net. APU's Lauren Lane went left - too left - on her try that went wide of the net. Hernandez then nailed her shot.

With all three PLNU attempts good and none in the first two by APU, the Cougars were up against the wall and needed to make their next three and hope that the Sea Lions would fail on their final two shots just to push it past the standard five shots each. PLNU, meanwhile, only had to make one more or have APU miss one to advance to the title game. The latter happened when Kracy blocked Brittany Flanagan's attempt.

"[Kracy] did an amazing job shutting down their three PKs," said Wessels. "She was amazing and the other PK takers got the job done."

The Sea Lions have never won more than one match at nationals in their prior two attempts. Now they are one win away from a championship.

“I didn't expect this,” said PLNU forward Lindsay Bollar. “I think most people underestimated us. Coming in as the underdogs, we knew we would have to give as much heart and fight as we can possibly give. I saw this team do just that because of our unique bond and love we have for each other.”
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