(GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.) PLNU Women's Soccer is headed to the Final Four.
Bethany Arabe scored in the ninth minute and the Sea Lions continued their shutout streak defensively, as Point Loma defeated UCCS 1-0 in the NCAA quarterfinals on Saturday.
For the third-straight postseason game, PLNU scored within the first 10 minutes of the match, this time through Arabe.
The junior winger assisted PLNU's goal in the fifth minute of its West Regional Championship victory over Seattle Pacific on Thursday, but got on the scoresheet herself after pouncing on a loose ball in the box.
Nicki Friedman flicked a header into a dangerous area, which
Alana Diaz challenged and forced a goalkeeper punch that only went as far as Arabe 12 yards out from goal.
Arabe then punished the Mountain Lions with an inside-of-the-right-foot finish off the one hop into the bottom right corner of the net to put the Sea Lions in front just 8:19 into the game.
That goal proved to be all that PLNU needed, as Point Loma extended its shutout streak to 270 minutes for its third-consecutive shutout and 11th of the season.
Julia Pinnell made five first-half saves but didn't have to make a single one in the second half, as the PLNU limited UCCS to just two shots after halftime, neither of which went on goal.
The Sea Lions have now outscored their opponents 5-0 in three NCAA Tournament games, as the West Region champions continue their furthest postseason run since joining Division II.
The win avenges a 2-1 defeat to the Mountain Lions back on Sep. 14.
Point Loma (15-3-1 overall), winners of nine straight, is now one victory shy of tying the 2018 PLNU team for most wins in a single season in the program's NCAA era.
The Sea Lions will play in the semifinals on Thursday in Matthews, North Carolina against an opponent to be determined.
After the three remaining quarterfinal matches are played on Sunday, the four teams still alive will be re-seeded to determine which squads will face off in the Final Four.
The winners of Thursday's semifinal games will then play in the national championship on Saturday.
POSTGAME INTERVIEW
