(SAN DIEGO) PLNU Women's Soccer scored three goals in the second half to seal its spot in next week's PacWest Championships with a 3-0 win over Fresno Pacific on the final day of the regular season on Saturday.
Point Loma outshot FPU 12-1 in the first half, and 6-0 in shots on goal, but the game was scoreless after 45 minutes.
"When you have a half like the first one where you feel like it's coming and then it doesn't, you can get in your head a little bit thinking, 'Are we going to replicate Thursday again?'" Head Coach
Kristi Kiely said. "I just told them at halftime, that can't even enter your mind. You were all over them, here's a couple adjustments we can make."
The Sea Lions, needing a win to qualify for the four-team conference tournament after Thursday's 1-1 draw with Jessup, broke the deadlock with a stunning strike from
Gianna Masinter in the 52nd minute.
Grace Nelson's corner kick was headed away, but only as far as Masinter just inside the top of the box to volley home with her left foot.
"We just needed one person to open it up and G did a great job obviously on the finish," Kiely said. "That's not maybe the way I thought it would be opened up, with a special moment like that, but she handled it well. I'm just glad for the group."
Two seniors then scored the final two goals on Senior Day in the form of
Alyssa Ketcham and
Emma Rogers.
After
Maddie Khan was brought down in the box, Ketcham buried the ensuing spot kick to make it 2-0 in the 73rd minute.
Rogers then rounded out the scoring in the 86th minute, finishing off a well-worked passage of play from the Sea Lions.
Maddy Saruwatari played
Andrea Lozano through, but instead of shooting she squared it to Rogers, who calmly took a touch and slotted into the back of the net.
"The composure of that last goal that was lovely," Kiely said. "Dre to pick Reg out, Reg to have the sense to take a touch and then place it. it just looked very easy and those two did a great job."
Third-seeded PLNU will now host the PacWest Championships, courtesy of the Sea Lions winning the conference last season, beginning on Thursday at 2 p.m. against second-seeded Hawai'i Hilo.
"We talked about it before the game, last year's team gifted you this opportunity and now it's your job to carry it on," Kiely said. "You have to hold that gift well and you've got to get yourself to a spot where that's earned, to be able to not have to travel and to be here and sleep in your own bed and have your own fans. We're really looking forward to it."
For Point Loma's 11 seniors that were recognized before the game, they are ensured of at least one more home game.
The winner of Thursday's second semifinal will play the winner of No. 1 seed Azusa Pacific and No. 4 seed Dominican in the championship on Saturday at 1 p.m.
"We had a celebration last night and got to hear from the senior parents," Kiely said. "I found myself both laughing and crying. It's a group that has been a part of really spectacular moments. It's an all-in group, it's a group that's put in work and I'm grateful that today isn't the last day on this field."
