Another Trip To The Sweet 16
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (11/13/11)-- Sarah Rounds scored in the first overtime to give Concordia a 2-1 win over UC-Santa Cruz on Sunday in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Cobbers will now advance to the NCAA Sweet 16 for the second time in the past three seasons. CC will play SUNY-Cortland next weekend at a site to be determined.
It was the ninth overtime game for the Cobbers this season. CC is now 2-1-6 in those extra session games. Overall, Concordia is now 13-3-6 on the season while UCSC ends their year with a 9-6-2 mark.
The Cobbers and Banana Slugs battled through a scoreless first half with each team having mild chances. The best chance for Concordia came late in the half when freshman central defender Libby Fransdal hammered a 40-yard dead ball toward the top half of the goal. The Santa Cruz goalie had to back pedal and tip the ball over the bar at the very last second.
Concordia's central midfield play eventually led to the game's first goal. CC won the ball 40 yards out from goal and Rounds was able to control the ball on the left wing. She then whipped a ball into the penalty area where Laura Prosinski ran onto it and headed into the corner from six yards out. The goal at 61:32 was Prosinski's fifth score of the season.
Unfortunately the lead would not last very long. Less than one minute later the Banana Slugs returned the favor on a free kick from 30 yards out on the right wing. Chay Thomas knocked the ball into the penalty area and Antonia Darragh was left alone to head home the equalizer at 62:31.
The only real chance of the final 25 minutes came from Santa Cruz. A Banana Slug attacker pounded a shot off of a free kick towards the left corner. CC goalie Ali Nelson then stretched full out to smother the ball just before it went over the goal line.
The overtime lasted almost eight minutes before Rounds pounced on a turnover deep in the Santa Cruz end of the field. She then outraced the Banana Slugs' defense towards the goal and slid the ball past the keeper on the breakaway.
Rounds' goal at 97:35 was her 15th of the season and she now has 34 points for the year. Rounds is also closing in on the 100-point mark for her career. With the goal and assist on the night she now has 95 points for her career.
Concordia ended up outshooting Santa Cruz 15-10 in total shots for the game. The Cobbers had a slight 7-6 edge in shots on goal. Rounds led all players with six total shots in the game.
Both Nelson made and Banana Slug goalie Monica Chasen made five saves in the game. With the win, Nelson earned 12th victory of the year and 41st of her career.
The Cobbers will now wait until Monday to find out the site of their NCAA Sweet 16 game against SUNY-Cortland.
