Thomas More nets sixth-straight PAC Women’s Soccer title
CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky. (pacathletics.org) – Top-seeded and fourth-ranked Thomas More College won its sixth-straight Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) Women’s Soccer Championship Tournament title with a 1-0 win over third-seeded Grove City College Saturday afternoon at BB&T Field.
Saturday marked the fifth-consecutive season that Thomas More (20-0-1) and Grove City (15-5) have met in the conference finals, with the Saints winning the last four by a 1-0 margin (2013-16).
By virtue of securing the PAC Championship Tournament title, Thomas More earned the league’s automatic qualifying bid for this year’s NCAA Division III Championship Tournament. It will be the program’s seventh overall, and sixth-straight, appearance in the Division III Championship.
The NCAA will announce its field and opening-round matchups for the Division III Championship Tournament on Monday, November 7 at 1:30 p.m. Access to the live selection show stream can be found at www.ncaa.com/liveschedule.
| Saturday, November 5 |
PAC Championship Tournament – Title Match
#3 Grove City at #=1 Thomas More
BB&T Field – Crestview Hills, Ky. |
| Result: Thomas More wins 1-0 |
Box score
Senior midfielder Erica LaRosa (Cincinnati, Ohio / Seton) staked Thomas More to a 1-0 lead in the 15th minute of Saturday’s title match, scoring the eventual game winner off of a corner kick from senior midfielder Lauren Rose (West Chester, Ohio / Lakota West) and assist from senior defender Emily Cummings (Cincinnati, Ohio / Glen Este). Junior Trishae Winters (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Hampton) finished with five saves for Grove City. Senior Megan Barton (Florence, Ky. / Villa Madonna) totaled five saves in her 17th individual shutout of the season for Thomas More. |
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| Wednesday, November 2 |
PAC Championship Tournament – Semifinal 2
#3 Grove City at #2 W&J
Alexandre Stadium – Washington, Pa. |
| Result: Grove City wins 3-1 |
Box score
After going to shootouts in its previous two semifinal matches, Grove City was fueled by a pair of early first half goals in its 3-1 win at W&J Wednesday. Junior midfielder Lindsay Hutton (Hackettstown, N.J. / Hackettstown) opened the scoring after connecting on a corner kick from senior defender Jordyn White (Mars, Pa. / Mars) in the 10th minute. Junior forward Lacy Harkrader (Mineral, Va. / Louisa County) pushed the lead to 2-0 after scoring off of an assist by freshman midfielder Ruby Mattson (Dallas, Pa. / Dallas) in the 14th minute. Harkrader converted on a penalty kick in the 64th minute, her 13th goal of the season, to extend the lead to 3-0. W&J junior forward Jordan Toohey (Mount Pleasant, Pa. / Mount Pleasant) scored in the 88th minute to close out the scoring. The goal was Toohey’s league-leading 21st of the season. Junior Trishae Winters (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Hampton) finished with five saves in the win. Junior Allison Rinehimer (Berwick, Pa. / Berwick) totaled six stops for W&J. |
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| Wednesday, November 2 |
PAC Championship Tournament – Semifinal 1
#4 Chatham at #1 Thomas More
BB&T Field – Crestview Hills, Ky. |
| Result: Thomas More wins 4-0 |
Box score
Thomas More scored its first three goals within a two and a half minute first half window of Wednesday’s semifinal win over Chatham, the program’s 11th straight in the league’s championship tournament. First-year forward Shaye Isaacs (Nicholasville, Ky. / West Jessamine) scored in the 17th minute and senior midfielder Laura Felix (Burlington, Ky. / St. Henry) scored off of an assist by junior midfielder Cori Ziegler (California, Ky. / Bishop Brossart) in the 18th minute. Senior midfielder Taylor Robinson (Alexandria, Ky. / Campbell County) connected off an assist by senior midfielder Lauren Rose (West Chester, Ohio / Lakota West) in the 19th minute to cap the first half scoring. Senior midfielder Erika LaRosa (Cincinnati, Ohio / Seton) rounded out the scoring after converting off of an assist by first-year defender Megan Sheridan (Cincinnati, Ohio / Oak Hills) in 73rd minute. Freshman Elayna Burdelski (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Fox Chapel) and sophomore Emmory Tardivo (Isabella, Pa. / Brownsville Area) combined to stop five shots for Chatham, which was making its first-ever appearance in the championship tournament. Thomas More senior Megan Barton (Florence, Ky. / Villa Madonna) had one save in her 16th shutout of the season. |
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