On To Another MIAC Championship Game
NORTHFIELD, Minn. (11/01/11)--Junior forward Sarah Rounds scored in the 43rd minute and the Concordia defense made the goal hold up as the Cobbers beat Carleton 1-0 in the MIAC Tournament semifinals in Northfield on Tuesday. CC now advances to the conference championship for the second straight season and the seventh time in the past eight years.
It was the second straight year the two teams had met in the conference playoffs and the fifth time in the past six seasons. Last year Concordia edged Carleton in penalty kicks in the conference championship game. The Cobbers are now 1-1-3 against the Knights in the playoffs in the last six seasons. CC has also claimed wins in two of the three tied games.
The win for Concordia on Tuesday pushes their unbeaten streak against MIAC opponents this season to eight. The Cobbers are also unbeaten in 10 of their last 11 overall games. With the victory over the Knights, CC improves their overall record to 12-2-5 marking the eighth straight year that Concordia has won at least 12 games.
It was a tale of the Cobber midfield and defense on Tuesday. The Concordia midfielders choked off the Carleton controlling players from gaining possession in the middle of the park and the CC defense didn't allow any of the Knight attackers any time, or space, to turn and attack the net. The combination of quick midfield play and stifling defense helped Concordia post their fourth shutout in the last six games. The Cobbers also blanked the Knights in both games they played this season.
Concordia controlled the game from the very start as they held the better of the possession and were able to combine to get chances from the wing. Carleton relied more on the quick counterattack and were content to knock the ball long and then try and play the ball to one of their wide players.
The Cobbers and Knights both had a couple of half chances before Concordia finally got on the board in the final five minutes of the first half. Rounds had taken up a central position at the top of the penalty area and received the ball after a Carleton defender failed to clear a crossing attempt from the right wing. Rounds then settled the ball and quickly touched it to the side to create space away from her defender. She then hammered a quick-release shot into the lower left corner. The goal at 42:20 was Rounds' league-leading 13th of the year. She now has 13 goals and three assists for 29 points on the year. It is the second straight season she has put up 13 goals. For her career, Rounds has now has 35 goals and 91 points.
The second half was played in two different parts. Concordia continued to control the middle of the field for the first 15 minutes but then went into protect mode and allowed Carleton to push the ball forward with relative ease in the final 30 minutes of play. CC had a golden opportunity to go up 2-0 but Rounds' point-blank shot was turned aside by keeper Beth Ashinsky. The Knights had a couple of quality chances in the final 15 minutes of play but each time Concordia goalie Ali Nelson was up to the task.
Carleton wound up outshooting the Cobbers 11-8 in overall shots in the game. The Knights also had a 7-5 edge in shots on goal and a 6-2 margin in corner kicks. Nelson stopped all seven shots she faced to record her 11th shutout of the season. Ashinsky made four saves in the loss.
The Cobbers will now play at No.1 seed St. Ben's on Saturday, Nov. 5 in the MIAC title game. Concordia has won three conference playoff championships including back-to-back titles in 2006 and 2007. CC has holds a 1-1 record against the Blazers in MIAC playoff history. Concordia lost to CSB 2-0 in the semifinals in their very first trip to the postseason in 2003 but then beat St. Ben's 2-0 in the championship game in 2007.
