Elite 8 Bound: Harris’ Late Goal Lifts No. 12 Colonels to 1-0 Victory over No. 8 Thomas More
PITTSBURGH, Pa. (CentreAthletics.com) – Senior midfielder Rachel Harris' (Ridgeland, Miss.) goal from 27 yards out with just over three minutes remaining secured a 1-0 victory for the No. 9 Centre women's soccer team over eighth-ranked Thomas More in an NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Sectional Semifinal matchup on Friday afternoon at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pa.
With the win, the Colonels advance to the NCAA Elite 8 for the second consecutive year. Centre will take on No. 14 Calvin, who topped fifth-ranked Carnegie Mellon 1-0 in overtime on Friday.
The Colonels matched a program record for wins with 20, improving to 20-1-1 on the year. Centre won its 12th straight game and posted its 14th shutout victory of the season.
The Colonels also handed the Saints their first loss of the season, as Thomas More closes the 2015 campaign with a 19-1-2 ledger.
The two teams played a very evenly-matched first half, with the Colonels holding a slight 4-3 advantage in shots after the first 45 minutes of play.
Centre junior goalkeeper Olivia Alford (Louisville, Ky.) finished with four saves for the Colonels in the win, including a pair of key stops in the second half, the second coming in the 72nd minute of action.
Centre had a good scoring chance just under five minutes later, but junior forward Destinie Graves' (Lexington, Ky.) shot was scooped up by Thomas More goalkeeper Megan Barton.
In the 87th minute, Harris' left-footed strike found the top right shelf of the net, beating a jumping Barton and giving Centre a 1-0 advantage that the Colonels would not relinquish for the remainder of the contest.
The Saints held a 10-6 advantage in shots, but Centre edged Thomas More 5-4 in shots on goal and 6-4 on corner kicks.
Saturday's NCAA Division III Elite 8 matchup between Centre and Calvin is slated for a 1 p.m. start in Pittsburgh, Pa. The winner advances to the Final Four on Dec. 4 in Kansas City, Mo.
