Wishing you and your family a wonderful Holiday Season!! 

Check out the Capital University Holiday video: http://youtu.be/bJChpVqDFxw

NCAA ALL TOURNAMENT TEAM

Senior defender Lauren Roy, of the Capital University women's soccer team, has been named to the NCAA Division III National Tournament All-Tournament Team following the Crusaders first-ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament National Semifinals.

Roy, a Toledo, Ohio, native, earned a spot on the All-Tournament Team after helping the Crusaders lock down the back half of their defensive line, while appearing in her first-ever NCAA Division III National semifinal match.

On the season, Roy tallied four points on two goals, both of which came in two of the biggest games for the Crusaders this season, as she scored one of four goals in a 4-0 shutout win over John Carroll in the Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament Championship, while the other goal was the biggest of her career in a 2-1 victory over Thomas More (Ky.) in the NCAA Tournament Sectional Semifinals.

All season long, Capital's defense has been the backbone of its OAC regular season and Tournament Championship honors, while also helping lead the Crusaders on an incredible run through the NCAA Tournament, all while helping strong goalkeeping allow a 0.76 goals per game mark on a .059 shot percentage to its opponents.

Capital capped off its historical season this past Friday, falling 1-0, against William Smith (N.Y.) in an NCAA Tournament National Semifinal match, finishing with a program best 19 wins (19-5-2 overall).

 

NATIONAL RANKINGS

The honors continue to pile up for the Capital University women's soccer team, as they add three separate final national rankings to the list of their historical 2013 season.

The Crusaders earned the No. 8 ranking in the NSCAA/Continental Tire NCAA National Rankings, No. 9 on D3Soccer.com and No. 19 in the final Bennett Rankings.

"I could not be more proud of the fact that this team did things no one thought possible this year," said head coach Chris Kouns. "Our society values flash and high profile players, and that was not what our team was all about. We had a lot of good players who were willing to fight and work for each other and as a result, their collective efforts helped them achieve heights few would have imagined possible for Capital women's soccer."

D3Soccer.com rankings are based off of weekly votes coming from a panel of coaches, Sports Information Directors and media members from across the country.

In that specific poll, Capital topped Thomas More (Ky.) and the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, both of which were defeated by the Crusaders in the NCAA Tournament.

As far as the NSCAA National Ranking, that specific poll is made up of nominated teams by region, in Capital's case the Great Lakes Region, with a winning percentage of .750 and above, which is then voted on by coaches within the region and across the nation.

"In terms the culture of our program, this Top 10 National Ranking is the validation that we hoped for," Kouns said. "The culture we are developing values the process of a team striving to maximize their potential.  It focuses on the journey, not the destination, and the belief that if we do the right things in the classroom, on the soccer field and in life we will be rewarded, and we have been."a

The Crusaders also topped Thomas More and Wisconsin-Whitewater in that poll as well.

The Bennett rankings are calculated on factors such as: where games were played, who won, what ranking the opponent had and goal differential. 

"One of the greatest compliments I've received about our total team effort this year came from the gentleman in charge of the Bennett Ranking system," Kouns said. "He told me Capital had been the greatest bug in his system all year long because Bennett Ranking is based solely on statistics and logarithms." 

Capital also topped Wisconsin-Whitewater in that final poll.

"In a logical world, we should not have been where we were and statistically should not have done what we did," Kouns said. But, those things don't tell the story of a team, people do, and we had a story to tell."

Overall, Capital (19-5-2 overall) earned all three national rankings after capping off a historic season in the program's first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division III National Semifinals.

SAN ANTONIO

vs. William Smith

SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The Capital University women's soccer team saw its record-setting run in the NCAA Division III Tournament come to an end Friday in a 1-0 setback against No. 3 William Smith (N.Y.) in a national semifinal at Toyota Field.

 

"What an amazing journey our student-athletes have enjoyed over the past three months," Capital coach Chris Kouns said. "Without a doubt, I feel they truly have maximized their collegiate experience and will go forward as better human beings because of what the things they have witnessed on our trip together." 

 

In the first half, the Crusaders (19-5-2 overall) put an early shot on goal when sophomore forward Jamie Murray(West Palm Beach, Fla.) made a run down the right side and tried to go to the far post.

 

The Herons (22-1) tallied in the eighth minute on a great pass to the middle as Krista Longo beat senior goalkeeper Maggie Donnellan (Cincinnati, Ohio) to a spot just in front of the goal, where she placed her shot inside the far post.

 

Capital avoided a two-goal deficit in the closing moments of the half as William Smith nearly doubled its advantage on one play in the middle and another off a corner kick.

 

In the second, Donnellan, who was named a first team All-American by the NSCAA prior to the match, made a handful of key saves and the Crusaders held strong in the defensive third. Capital was unable to find the back of the net against the Herons, who haven't allowed a goal since Sept. 28.

 

With the loss, Capital's best season in program history ends with a school-record 19 wins against just four losses and two ties. After sharing the Ohio Athletic Conference regular season championship with John Carroll, the Crusaders won the conference tournament and reached the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three years.

 

After reaching the Round of 16 for the first time in school history with consecutive 1-0 wins over the University of Chicago and No. 16 Wisconsin-Whitewater, Capital punched its ticket to the national semifinals with a 2-1 victory over Thomas More (Ky.) and a thrilling victory over No. 1 Washington (Mo.) by penalty kicks (3-2) following a 1-1 tie.

 

"Our student-athletes enjoyed a history-making OAC regular season championship by defeating our cross-town rival, Otterbein," Kouns said. "Just five days later we completed the 'double' by defeating John Carroll for the OAC Tournament Championship and AQ to the NCAA Tournament. But greatness still awaited us on our journey.

 

"From there the journey took us to a very hostile environment in Wisconsin, but the team's belief in our collective journey would not be denied. Yet another historic win in the first and second round of the NCAA Tournament led us to not only a new program win total, but the NCAA Sweet 16. At this point the journey has been long and our minds & bodies were feeling the effects, but we knew greatness still awaited.

 

"Yet again, these student-athletes took their journey to another new level. Defeating Thomas More in the Sweet 16 and beating the No. 1 team to get to the final four in the country is just what this group felt it was meant to do."

 

The Crusaders allowed just two goals in the normal flow of play during the postseason. The team hadn't allowed a goal other than a penalty kick in six straight contests and not since Oct. 30, when it defeated Muskingum 4-2 on the road.

 

In its last two trips to the NCAA Tournament, Capital has been defeated by a team that reached at least the national championship match – William Smith in 2013 and NCAA runner-up Wheaton (Ill.) in 2011.

 

The Crusaders began the season in early August with a preseason trip to Brazil.

 

"Our journey began in August when the returning student-athletes traveled to Brazil for preseason and spent time not only playing, but sharing their gifts with everyone they came into contact with," Kouns said. "For a soccer player, there surely cannot be a better place to start your journey than Brazil. Then in mid-August, we picked up our incoming kids and welcomed them onto the bus."

 

After a 0-1-1 start to the 2013 campaign, including a narrow 3-2 loss at then-No. 5 Carnegie Mellon (Pa.), the Crusaders rattled off five straight non-conference victories to earn a No. 22 national ranking by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA).

 

A loss to eventual NCAA qualifier Hanover (Ind.) dropped Capital out of the national rankings, but the Crusaders quickly recovered with four consecutive wins.

 

Following a stretch of two losses in three matches, Capital won four straight to conclude the regular season and extended the streak to nine during postseason play.

 

"When our journey took us to Pennsylvania for our opening trip to play then-No. 5 Carnegie Mellon, and came back from a 2-0 deficit to tie the game and nearly win it, we seriously began focusing on the greatness within our team," Kouns said. "Each leg of the journey from that point forward was about harnessing and grasping the power of that greatness. 

 

"Along the way there were bumps in the road but not once did the journey suffer back to back setbacks. Each setback further strengthened our resolve that greatness was awaiting us, and we must get there."

 

This year's 11-player senior class finished with a 53-27-10 overall record, including a 25-8-3 mark in OAC play. Over the last four years, the Crusaders won a conference regular season championship and two OAC Tournament titles, and reached the NCAA Tournament twice, going farther than any previous Capital team during each appearance....

For the rest of the story and the box score visit our website: http://athletics.capital.edu/sports/wsoc/index

FINAL FOUR

2013 Division III Women's Soccer FINAL FOUR

San Antonio, Texas

CAPITAL

vs.

#1 WILLIAM SMITH

December 6, 2013

12 PM ET

Hope you are ALL watching and wearing your purple!

The Road to San Antonio

SWEET SIXTEEN

vs. THOMAS MORE

As it has done in every postseason match it has played, the Capital University women's soccer team found an early goal and held strong in the defensive third in the second half to defeat No. 14 Thomas More (Ky.) 2-1 in an NCAA Division III Tournament sectional semifinal match at Washington University in St. Louis, Mo.

 

The Crusaders (19-4-1 overall) move on to face the nation's No. 1 team and sectional host, Washington University, in a national quarterfinal match Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Eastern (1:30 p.m. Central).

 

"I'm very excited about continuing our journey," Capital coach Chris Kouns said. "We've talked all year about how we have an opportunity for greatness … all we have to do is be the best team on the day we play each match. There's a belief among all our players that we'll find a way to do it."

 

Freshman forward Monique Hanayik (Sidney, Ohio) scored what proved to be the game-winning goal, striking a shot inside the opposite post in the 76th minute to give Capital a 2-0 lead. Sophomore midfielder Allison Mervau(Micanopy, Fla.) recorded the assist on Hanayik's fourth tally of the season.

 

Capital, which has already advanced further than the program ever has and set a school record for wins in last Sunday's second round match, allowed its first goal of the postseason on a penalty kick in the 78th minute but held the rest of the way to preserve the victory.

 

"Thomas More came at us with a lot of pressure," Kouns said. "We knew we had to keep moving our defensive formation, and I think that weathered the pressure."

 

Senior defender Lauren Roy (Toledo, Ohio) provided the first goal in the 30th minute.

 

Freshman midfielder Claire Quinn (Coto de Caza, Calif.) started the play with a corner kick. After a header by senior defender Corey McClellan(Columbus, Ohio) was blocked by a Thomas More defender, Roy picked up the loose ball and placed it into the back of the net.

 

It was Roy's second goal of the season, and the biggest of her career.

 

"As the moment showed, it doesn't matter who we're playing," Kouns said. "This group is dedicated to executing our set pieces, and those win championships."

 

The Saints (19-2-2) applied pressure early in the second half, taking three corner kicks in the first 10 minutes of the period. But the Crusaders, led by senior goalkeeper Maggie Donnellan (Cincinnati, Ohio), refused to allow Thomas More to sustain momentum.....

ELITE EIGHT

vs. Washington University - St. Louis

ST. LOUIS – Behind a stellar effort from senior goalkeeper Maggie Donnellan and a clutch, game-tying goal by freshman midfielder Claire Quinn, the Capital University women's soccer team will make its first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division III Tournament semifinals after defeating top-ranked Washington (Mo.) on penalty kicks in an NCAA sectional final Sunday at Washington University.

 

After the game ended in a 1-1 tie following 90 minutes of regulation and two overtimes, the Crusaders (19-4-2 overall) won 3-2 on penalty kicks to advance to become one of four teams in the nation still playing.

 

"We feel like on any given day, if we play and fight hard enough, and we're dedicated to do it as a team, we can be successful," Capital coach Chris Kouns said. "We know player for player, Washington is better, and if we played them 10 times, they might beat us nine times.

 

"We wanted to break up the game into 10-minute segments … if we could continue to play that way, the pressure would turn to Washington. For us, it was a matter of sticking to the game plan and getting things done, and we did."

 

Capital will take on No. 3 William Smith (N.Y.) quarterfinal match on Friday, Dec. 6, at Toyota Field in San Antonio, Texas.

 

The Crusaders made three of their four penalty kicks, while Donnellan (Cincinnati, Ohio) saved the Bears' first two attempts. After giving Capital a 3-2 lead in the session with her own PK conversion, Donnellan stopped Washington's final attempt, sending the Crusaders and their supporters in attendance into frenzy.

 

"Maggie was absolutely amazing," Kouns said. "For three years, her development working with goalkeeper coach Andrea Kaminski has been absolutely terrific. We didn't originally have her scheduled to take a PK if we got there, but with the way she was playing, there's no doubt we wanted her out there. And she ended up winning it."

 

Freshman midfielder Becca Cartmill (Temecula, Calif.) and senior defender Michelle Geiger (Cincinnati, Ohio) converted the other two penalty kicks for Capital.

 

The Bears (20-1-1) tallied the match's first goal in the sixth minute off a loose ball in the box as the shot skimmed off of the bottom of the crossbar and over the goal line. It was the first goal surrendered by the Crusaders in the flow of play during the postseason. Capital last allowed a non-penalty kick goal on Oct. 30 at Muskingum.

 

Trailing 1-0 at the half, the Crusaders came out aggressively in the second, posting three corner kicks in the first 15 minutes of the period.

 

Capital's strong offensive push paid off in the 67th minute, Quinn took a free kick and placed it just inside the far post off a set piece. Quinn's second goal of the year leveled the match.

 

"About 20 minutes into the second half, we decided to push forward, and we were fortunate enough to put Washington on its heels for about five minutes," Kouns said. "Claire's strike was absolutely beautiful."

 

Donnellan came up with three huge saves in the final 15 minutes of regulation to help preserve the tie. She finished with a career-high 18 saves as the Crusaders were outshot 38-8 in the contest. Capital outshot Washington 3-1 in the two overtimes combined.

 

The Crusaders, unranked entering postseason play, knocked off three straight ranked opponents en route to the national semifinals.

 

Check back early this week for more coverage on Capital's dream postseason run and NCAA Tournament semifinal berth.

For the complete stories and box scores visit our website: http://athletics.capital.edu/sports/wsoc/index

MAKING PROGRAM HISTORY

SWEET 16

With history having already been made this past weekend, the Capital University women's soccer team looks to take another historical step in program history, as they travel to St. Louis, Mo., this weekend to face Thomas More (Ky.) in the round of 16 of the NCAA Division III Tournament.

The round of 16 match will take place this Saturday, Nov. 23, at 1:30 p.m. (2:30 p.m. Eastern). No. 1 nationally ranked Washington University (Mo.) will be the host site the for the third round and quarterfinals matches. 

Capital (18-4-1) comes into Saturday's match on an eight game win streak, having recorded a new single-season team record in wins in a 1-0 victory over the University of Wisconsin Whitewater in the round of 32 this past Sunday night.

In addition, the Crusaders made program history in the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three years, having advanced to the round of 16, a step the program had never gotten to up until Sunday.

As for their opponent, Thomas More (19-1-2), comes into the game on an 18-match unbeaten streak, having suffered its only loss of the season on Sept. 11 at home in a 2-1 double overtime defeat to Capital.

Since that setback, the Saints have won 16 of their last 18 games en route to a No. 14 national ranking.

The Crusaders, who earned back-to-back 1-0 victories in the opening two rounds of the NCAA Tournament, enter the round of 16 having shutout their opponent in five straight matches, winning by a combined 8-0 margin.

In the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, the Crusaders traveled to Whitewater, Wis., to take on the University of Chicago in an evening affair at host Whitewater.

Late game heroics were awarded to sophomore Mariah Richards, who tapped in a corner kick by freshman Claire Quinn in the 102^nd minute.

The score was no ordinary one though, as Quinn's textbook corner kick was driven down in a scrum of Crusaders in the box, where Richards came up with and snuck the ball into the net just outside the goal line in the box.

In total, Chicago outshot Capital 22-7, but the Crusaders came up with the all-important shot for goal.

Then in the round of 32, the Crusaders defeated unbeaten and No. 16 nationally ranked University of Wisconsin Whitewater, 1-0.

Originally, the Warhawks were set to host the Crusaders on day two of the opening two rounds of the NCAA Tournament, but following severe weather conditions that swept across the Midwest, the game was forced to move northeast, away from the torrential rain and storms.

In the 43rd minute, Richards, who scored the game winning goal in round one on Saturday night, found a ball from senior Michelle Geiger and tapped it into the back of the net for the score.

As the second half progressed and the clock winded down to zero, the Crusaders stormed the field in elation after advancing and recording the program's best win total, trumping the previous record (17) set back in 1998.

Leading the way this season for Capital has been a pair of seniors in goalkeeper Maggie Donnellan (Cincinnati, Ohio) and forward Hilary Ells(Grandview Heights, Ohio).

Donnellan, who earned her third consecutive Ohio Athletic Conference Goalkeeper of the Year award, has started all 23 games in net for the Crusaders, en route to the best save percentage in the OAC (.872), while also placing in the top five in the OAC in goals against (17), goals-against average (0.76), and saves (116).

In her last five starts, Donnellan has posted a shutout win in each of them, including back-to-back shutout victories in the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament.

Ells, the 2013 OAC Forward of the Year, tops the conference in points (28) and goals (14), having played a key role during the Crusaders' entire 2013 campaign, including six goals throughout Capital's eight game win streak.

Freshman Becca Cartmill (Temecula, Calif.) and sophomore Jamie Murray (Micanopy, Fla.) have also helped bolster Capital's offensive attack, as Cartmill tops the OAC in assists (10) and is tied for eighth in the OAC in points (18), while Murray places in the top seven in the conference in both points (19) and goals (8).

Seven other players have at least five points this season, while the top offensive performers for Capital in the NCAA Tournament, startersMaura Fortino (Philadelphia, Pa.), Richards and Claire Quinn (Coto de Caza, Calif.), have tallied a combined 18 points on the year.

Defensively, the Crusaders have been stellar all season, as their veteran backline of midfielders and defenders have helped anchor the defensive front in front of Donnellan.

Geiger (Norwood, Ohio), Corey McClellan (Columbus, Ohio) and Lauren Roy (Toledo, Ohio), as well as Richards, have played key roles in allowing a miniscule 11.3 shots per game, on a 0.66 shot percentage, to their opponents this season.

Thomas More, winner of the Presidents' Athletic Conference Tournament, comes into the round of 16 having defeated Allegheny (Pa.) in round one of the NCAA Tournament (2-1), while also taking down Hanover (Ind.) in the round of 32 (1-0) this past weekend.

This season, the Saints have played six opponents that the Crusaders have also faced, including defeats of four OAC teams in John Carroll (5-0), Otterbein (2-0), Ohio Northern (2-0) and Marietta (5-0).

Similarly, Capital went a combined 6-2, including the OAC Tournament, against the same six opponents that Thomas More faced.

The Saints are led offensively by sophomore Olivia Huber, who tops the team in points (52), while placing in the top 15 in the country in goals (22), and tying for the team lead in assists (8).

Senior Courtney Clark follows with 36 points on 14 goals and eight assists, while seven other players for the Saints have at least eight points on the year, including three players with at least 12.

Freshman goalkeeper Megan Barton has started 17 of the 20 games that she appeared in goal, posting a 0.31 goals-against average, .853 save percentage, en route to a 17-0 record in the net, including eight shutouts.

The winner of this coming Saturday's round of 16 match will face the Washington-Puget Sound (Wash.) winner in the quarterfinals on Sunday, Nov. 24, at 1:30 p.m. (2:30 p.m. Eastern).

Story compliments of http://athletics.capital.edu/sports/wsoc/index

NCAA TOURNAMENT UPDATE

vs. University of Chicago

WHITEWATER, Wisconsin – A double overtime thriller for the Capital University women's soccer team, as they defeated the University of Chicago, 1-0, in double overtime in round one of the NCAA Division III women's soccer tournament.

Late game heroics were awarded to sophomore Mariah Richards, who tapped in a corner kick by freshman Claire Quinn in the 102^nd minute.

The score was no ordinary one though, as Quinn's textbook corner kick was driven down in a scrum of Crusaders in the box, to which Richards came up with and sneaked the ball into the net just outside the goal line in the box.

"Very exciting to see Claire (Quinn) and Mariah (Richards) connect on that corner kick," said head coach Chris Kouns.

The lone goal of the match came after over 100 minutes passed, to which neither team managed to get a clean shot on goal, leading to 12 minutes of extra time.

"We're extremely excited to advance to the round of 32," Kouns said. "We've talked all year about how greatness awaits, and we have an opportunity to do something special tomorrow should we win and notch another school record in advancing again in the NCAA Tournament."

As the game progressed in the first half of play, both teams exerted a very physical style of play, to which the referees controlled by issuing a combined 16 fouls between Capital and Chicago in the opening frame.

"I was very pleased with the defensive effort tonight," Kouns said. "In the midst of gusty winds, I thought the first half was played well in keeping the ball on the ground and neutralizing Chicago's success in handling the ball."

The Maroons managed to unload 17 total shots in the first half, four of them coming on goal, while the Crusaders tallied six total shots in the opening half.

"When we switched sides after halftime, we lost a bit of our focus playing with the wind," Kouns said. "That was disappointing not being able to put the game away in the second half, but once again, a testament to this team's resilience, as we went against the wind again in overtime, maintaining strong composure, keeping the ball in front of us, finding a way to win."

In total, Chicago outshot Capital, 22 to seven, but the Crusaders came up with the all-important shot for goal, extending their win streak to seven, dating back to Oct. 22.

Leading the way for the Crusaders was Richards, scoring her second goal of the year, while Quinn picked up her third assist on the season.

Senior goalkeeper Maggie Donnellan saved all seven shots on goal that she faced, locking down Capital's goal for the fourth straight game.

"We've been keying in on what it means to play focused throughout championships and tournaments," Kouns said. "And that's what we did here tonight."

With the win, the Capital (17-4-1) advances to the second round of the NCAA Division III women's soccer Tournament, taking on the host, and No. 16 nationally ranked, University of Wisconsin Whitewater on Sunday at 5 p.m.

"A quick turnaround tomorrow as we face a very good Whitewater team," Kouns said. "Once again, we will do our best to put on another show like we did tonight."

vs. University of Wisconsin- Whitewater

MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin - The Capital University women's soccer team advanced to the round of 16 in the NCAA Division III Tournament for the first time in the program's history on Sunday night, defeating unbeaten and No. 16 nationally ranked University of Wisconsin Whitewater, 1-0.

Originally, the Warhawks were set to host the Crusaders on day two of the opening two rounds of the NCAA Tournament, but following severe weather conditions that swept across the Midwest, the game was forced to move north away from the torrential rain and storms.

Both teams traveled just over an hour to the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee to fit the game in on Sunday night, pushing the originally scheduled game time back two and a half hours to 7:30 p.m.

"We honestly came out with the same game plan that we had against Chicago on Saturday," said head coach Chris Kouns. "Our team played scrappy and really stymied Whitewater's attack."

In the first half of play, both Capital and Wisconsin Whitewater struggled to get much going offensively, as nearly every ball driven in the air was caught up in the gusty winds.

However in the 43rd minute, sophomore Mariah Richards, who scored the game winning goal in round one on Saturdaynight, found a ball from sophomoreMaura Fortino and tapped it into the back of the net for the score.

"Once again, another set piece, something we have been working on," Kouns said. "For the second game in a row, Mariah (Richards) came up with the game winning goal for us."

Perhaps the best opportunity for the Warhawks came midway through the opening frame, as they had three shots on the ground within five feet of the net, to which senior goalkeeper Maggie Donnellan denied each one.

"We didn't have a great first half," Kouns said. "But players such as Maura (Fortino), Mariah (Richards), and Jamie (Murray) helped us stick to our game I'm the opening half."

Richards' goal proved the be highlight of the first half for the Crusaders, as they took a 1-0 lead into halftime.

"Scoring a goal in the first half and having the lead helps you heading into the next half, too," Kouns said. "Then you know that you have a little momentum as a team."

As the second half of play progressed, both teams battled for position and ball control, as the Warhawks were trying to even the score, whereas the Crusaders were trying to pad their lead with another goal.

Neither team could manufacture a clean look on breakaway passing, as once again Capital's back line displayed superb defending throughout the match.

With under 15 minutes left in the game, the sense of urgency was apparent for the Warhawks, as their 21 game unbeaten streak was beginning to topple for the first time this season.

Then as the game clock winded down to zero, the Crusaders stormed the field in elation after advancing, 1-0, and recording the program's best win total (18), trumping the previous record (17) set back in 1998.

Leading the way for the Crusaders was Richards, netting her third goal of the season and second in as many NCAA Tournament games.

Donnellan recorded her fifth consecutive shutout, improving her record in goal to 18-4-1 on the year, while stopping all six shots on goal that she faced.

Fortino also tallied her third assist on the lone goal of the match.

"I'm just so proud and excited for this group," Kouns said. "I could go on and on about each player tonight, because they all played that well. We have an opportunity to once again go one step further."

With the win, Capital (18-4-1) moves on to face a familiar opponent from earlier in the season in No. 14 nationally ranked Thomas More (Ky.), playing in the round of 16 hosted by Washington University (Mo.).

Capital handed Thomas More (17-1-2) its lone loss of the season on Sept. 11 at the Saints' home field, winning 2-1 in double overtime.

At the time, the Saints were ranked No. 14 in the nation.

"We're certainly familiar with Thomas More," Kouns said. "We know that we can match up and compete with them. But, at the NCAA Tournament level it's going to be a different level of competition, so we are excited for the challenge."

To read complete stories and check out the box scores visit our website: http://athletics.capital.edu/sports/wsoc/index

Off to Wisconsin

Women’s Soccer to Play University of Chicago in NCAA First Round

The Capital University women's soccer team will head to the University of Wisconsin Whitewater this weekend to face the University of Chicago in the first round of the 2013 NCAA Division III Tournament.

 

The match will take place this Friday, Nov. 15, at a time yet to be determined. The winner of the Capital-Chicago match will take on the winner of Wisconsin-Whitewater and St. Scholastica (Minn.) in the second round.

 

The Crusaders (16-4-1 overall) wrapped up the Ohio Athletic Conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament and their fifth-ever bid to the NCAAs by winning their second OAC Tournament title in the last three years. Capital defeated John Carroll 4-0 in Sunday's championship match.

 

Chicago (11-4-3), a member of the University Athletic Association (UAA), received a Pool C, or at-large, bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Maroons saw their five-match unbeaten streak end with a 2-0 setback at No. 1 Washington (Mo.) University on Saturday in the team's regular season finale.

 

Chicago was receiving votes in the most recent NSCAA Division III Top 25 poll and was ranked fifth in the Central Region in the NCAA's latest regional rankings.

 

The Crusaders, who were ranked fifth in the Great Lakes Region, earned the program's first OAC regular season championship since 2004 by virtue of a 7-2 regular season league record, sharing the title with John Carroll. Capital garnered the No. 1 seed and home field advantage in the conference tournament by virtue of its victory over the Blue Streaks during the regular season.

 

After starting the regular season with a loss against then-No. 5 Carnegie Mellon and a tie at 2012 NCAA qualifier Penn State-Behrend, the Crusaders rattled off nine wins in their next 10 matches, including a 2-1 triumph in two overtimes at then-No. 14 Thomas More (Ky.) and 2-0 victory over co-champion John Carroll on Oct. 5. The team's only loss in that stretch came against Hanover, which enters the NCAA Tournament as the region's top-ranked team.

 

Following a 1-2 road trip, Capital won four straight to close the regular season, taking down cross-town rival Otterbein 1-0 in the finale on Nov. 2 to clinch their share of the championship.

 

After earning a bye to the OAC Tournament semifinals, the Crusaders knocked off the Cardinals again by an identical 1-0 score Thursday at Bernlohr Stadium. Senior midfielder Livvy Hein (Worthington, Ohio) provided the game-winning tally in the 15th minute, volleying a bouncing ball out of the air and into the side of the far post.

 

Capital finished its championship run Sunday against John Carroll, scoring twice in the first 17 minutes of play and adding a pair of insurance goals in the last 10 minutes of the match. Senior forward Hilary Ells (Grandview Heights, Ohio) made a great move to the inside off a throw-in from Hein in the fifth minute and finished at the near post for what proved to be the game-winner. Senior defender Lauren Roy (Toledo, Ohio), sophomore midfielder Allison Mervau (Micanopy, Fla.) and senior midfielder Katie Freshour (North Canton, Ohio) also added goals in the contest.

 

Sunday's win was also Capital's 11th shutout of the season and the sixth solo shutout for senior goalkeeper Maggie Donnellan (Cincinnati, Ohio).

 

Ells leads the team and the OAC with 14 goals, including six game-winners, and 28 points entering NCAA play. Freshman midfielder Becca Cartmill (Temecula, Calif.), who assisted on Roy's goal Sunday, leads the team and the league with 10 assists, a mark that also puts her among the nation's top 30, according to the latest national statistical rankings.

 

Sophomore forward Jamie Murray (West Palm Beach, Fla.) ranks second on the team with 20 points (eight goals, four assists), followed by Cartmill, who has three game-winning goals, with 18.

 

Mervau and Hein each have nine points for the season, while freshman midfielder Monique Hanayik (Sidney, Ohio) has seven. All three enter the NCAA Tournament with one game-winning goal.

 

Four other players on the team have between four and six points, including hard-working midfield starters Maura Fortino (Philadelphia, Pa.) andClaire Quinn (Coto de Caza, Calif.). Quinn has one game-winning goal, while Fortino converted a penalty kick goal during the regular season.

 

Donnellan, who has a 16-4-1 record with a 0.83 goals against average and a .858 save percentage, is protected by a veteran defensive line. Roy, seniors Michelle Geiger (Norwood, Ohio), Corey McClellan (Columbus, Ohio) and sophomore Mariah Richards (Canton, Ohio) have combined to miss just three matches this season as the starting back line.

 

Chicago is led offensively by Sara Kwan (24 points), Natalia Jovanovic (20) and Micaela harms (19). Goalkeeper Jacinda Reid, who has played in 11 matches and has a 5-3-3 record, leads the UAA with 5.91 saves per contest.

 

Capital and Chicago share one common opponent – Carnegie Mellon (Pa.). The Crusaders fell 3-2 against the Tartans back on Aug. 31 at Penn State Behrend, while the Maroons tied Carnegie Mellon 0-0 in two overtimes on the road.