November 6, 2009
DUBUQUE, IOWA . . . .
Women's Semifinal No. 1 — No. 2 Dubuque 1, No. 3 Loras 1 (2 OT); Dubuque advances on PK's, 7-6 — [Box Score]
A full 90-minute game and 20 minutes worth of overtime proved to be not enough as an extended penalty-kick session decided the first women's finalist at the Iowa Conference Soccer Tournament. A make by Dubuque's Marsha Summers in the ninth round proved to be the deciding mark as an opportunity to tie by Loras' Hillary Wilson glanced off the left goalpost.
Dubuque forward Sara Fassbinder put the Spartans on the board in the 50th minute with a breakaway goal that cleared the reach of Loras keeper Katie Chambers. That shot ended up being the Spartans' only shot on goal during the game. The Duhawks, who held a 23-4 advantage in shots, had a number of chances later in the second half, even bringing Chambers out of net on a number of occasions for set pieces, finally capitalized in the 84th minute as freshman defender Jayne Eslinger pushed a shot just inside the lower left corner of the net past Spartan netminder Natalie Baker. Baker finished with six saves, but was not in position to make the game's biggest save. Late in the second overtime, Baker challenged a header attempt by Chambers off a corner kick, but was unable to come up with the save. Fortunately for Baker, the Spartan defense had filled in behind her and was able to clear the ball.
The result allowed the Spartans to reach the IIAC Women's Soccer Tournament Final for the first time while keeping the Duhawks out of the final for the first time in nine years.
Women's Semifinal No. 2 — No. 5 Simpson 1, No. 1 Luther 0 — [Box Score]
Fifth-seed Simpson picked up a goal from Nicole Dillenburg with just 11 seconds to play in the first half and made it stand over the game's final 45 minutes to upset IIAC Champion and top-seeded Luther. The Norse held a 13-7 advantage in shots, but only one found its way on frame. The Storm finished with three shots on goal. Megan Petersen was solid in net for Simpson, which finished with three shots on goal, making one save in her seventh shutout of the season.
Luther goalkeeper Hannah Wright saw a shutout streak of over 825 minutes come to a halt
with Dillenburg's game-winner. Simpson, the 1999 IIAC tournament champion, advances to the final for the first time since 2006 and, as the No. 5 seed, is the lowest seed to reach the final.
Men's Semifinal No. 1 — No. 1 Loras 6, No. 5 Simpson 0 — [Box Score]
Top seed and 2009 IIAC Champion Loras (18-1-1) took control of its semifinal match with No. 5-seed Simpson with two early goals and then shut the door on the Storm with three goals in a three-minute span midway through the second half en route to a 6-0 victory.
Goals by Santiago Mejia (7') and Miguel Bonilla (18') provided the early spark for the Duhawks, who out shot the Storm 13-2 in the first half. Loras kept the pressure on in the second half as Mejia (60'), Nick Rizzo (61'), and Camillo Garces (63') pushed goals past Simpson's Josh Youngman in quick succession. Chris Comstock capped the scoring with a goal in the 83rd minute.
Loras, which advances to its seventh straight IIAC tournament final, saw goalkeepers Adam Kelsch and Dan Wickman each play 45:00 in net, picking up one save (Kelsch).
Men's Semifinal No. 2 — No. 3 Wartburg 2, No. 2 Dubuque 1
Wartburg's Brandon Cook provided a goal and an assist as the Knights secured the final spot in the men's championship final with a 2-1 win over Dubuque.
Cook opened the scoring for the third-seeded Knights with a goal in the eighth minute, but the Spartans battled back and knotted the score with a Colin Brice penalty kick in the 35th minute. The score in the hotly-contested battle remained tied until the 79th minute when Geoff Miller put the eventual game-winner past Dubuque goalkeeper Nick Kasper off an assist from Cook.
Wartburg proved itself as the aggressor in the match, outshooting Dubuque 20-10, placing seven shots on frame. Trent Michael made three saves while his Spartan counterpart Kasper was credited with five.
The Knights advance to the men's tournament final Saturday evening where they will face top-seeded Loras for the seventh consecutive season.
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