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Pointers Rally
Past UW-River Falls for NCAA Bid
Box Score
Instead of letting a late
deficit get the UW-Stevens Point women�s soccer team down, the Pointers
used it as motivation.
After UW-River Falls
converted its only second half shot into a goal with 15:33 left,
UW-Stevens Point scored with 10 minutes left in regulation and with six
minutes to go in double overtime for a 2-1 victory and its 11th tournament
title in the 12-year history of the event.
�These are scary games
when you�re attacking as much as we were and the other team gets a counter
and scores,� said Pointers� coach Sheila Miech, whose team earns a berth
in the NCAA Division III tournament for the 10th time and seventh
consecutive year. �I said when we went to overtime I had a feeling that a
senior would score and that�s what happened.�
But, it wasn�t Kelly Fink
or Jenny Bruce, two of the most prolific scorers in Division III history.
Rather, it was the third senior, midfielder Andrea Oswald, who struck the
game-winner in the Pointers� fourth overtime championship match win.
�Pure determination,�
Oswald said of the Pointers� late comeback. �Nobody on this team thought
we were dead when they scored. We had so many great chances the whole
match and I had two of my own that I should have made, so we knew we could
do it.�
Not only did Oswald have
plenty of opportunities, the entire Pointer team had ample chances to
score with a title-match record 38 shot attempts, compared to just four
shots by UW-River Falls. However, Falcons� goalie Apryl Jennrich turned
the Pointers away time and time again with a title-match record 20 saves.
The Pointers hit the
crossbar and the post in the scoreless first half and then Fink hit the
crossbar again about 30 seconds before Oswald�s goal in overtime. The
rebound was cleared out by the Falcons to midfielder Megan Frey, who
instead of pushing the ball back ahead to the forwards, beat a Falcons�
defender around the corner and lofted a perfect cross to Oswald in front
of the net.
UW-Stevens Point had
pressure on the Falcons� net the entire match before UW-River Falls took
advantage of its only second half opportunity. Falcons' forward Katie Rooney pushed a ball
ahead that the Pointers were unable to cover up.
Rooney tapped the loose ball slowly into the net for a 1-0 lead.
The Pointers picked up
the pace in the ensuing minutes and tied the match when Melissa Becker
sent a pass ahead to Bruce for her 16th goal of the season. The overtime
victory was the Pointers� first in six extra-time affairs this season.
�This team and especially
this group of seniors are amazing,� Miech said. �They�ve been through this
so many times and just carried us again today.�
UW-Stevens Point will
learn of its NCAA tournament pairing late Sunday night. The tournament
opens with first round play on Wednesday. |
