By Stan Caldwell
stanmansportsfan.com
William Carey University looked to be in championship form Tuesday afternoon with a dominating performance in the second round of the NAIA Women’s Soccer National Tournament.
The Lady Crusaders broke open a scoreless game early in the second half and cruised to a 3-0 victory over Eastern Oregon, advancing to the quarterfinal round of the tournament at the Orange Beach Sportsplex in Orange Beach, Ala.
Carey (18-3-0) will play the winner of Tuesday’s second game between Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) and Georgia Gwinnett at 4 p.m. Wednesday. EOU completed its season at 16-3-2.
The Lady Crusaders began taking control in the first half, holding the Mountaineers without a shot over the last 20 minutes of the period, but were unable to generate much offense, getting five shots, but none on-goal.
That changed dramatically just three minutes into the second half, as senior Kelly Stubbington rifled a 25-yard shot into the net for the first goal of the game at 48:10. It was the ninth goal of the season for the former two-time NJCAA All-America from Jones College.
Senior Shantell Thompson made it 2-0 at 56:09, getting a point-blank header off a pass from freshman Chrestine Nielson for her 16th goal of the season. It was Nielson’s third assist of the season.
Thompson got her seventh assist of the season on the final goal of a dominant second-half, feeding junior Silvia Leonessi for a score from 12 yards out at 67:56. It was Leonessi’s 12th goal of the season.
The score could have been more, as the Lady Crusaders peppered Mountaineer goalkeeper Cydni Cottrell with 10 shots in the period, 9 on-goal. Carey finished with 15 shots for the game, allowing 10 shots on defense, just 4 on-goal.
Abby Baravik, a senior from Laurel, recorded her 11th shutout of the season for Carey.
The Lady Crusaders played both Lindsey Wilson and Georgia Gwinnett in the regular season, winning 1-0 at Lindsey Wilson on Sept. 22 and dropping a 3-2 overtime loss to GGC on Oct. 29 at Crusader Field.
The Carey men will also return to action on Wednesday, facing Cardinal Stritch (Wisc.) at 3:30 p.m. in the national tournament quarterfinals at Irvine, Cal.
GAME SUMMARY
NAIA Soccer National Tournament
Second Round
Tuesday at Orange Beach, Ala.
WOMEN
William Carey 3, Eastern Oregon 0
EOU 0 0 – 0
WCU 0 3 – 3
EASTERN OREGON (16-3-2): GK – Cydni Cottrell, 6 saves.
WILLIAM CAREY (18-3-0): Kelly Stubbington (Unassisted), 48:10; Shantel Thompson (Chrestine Nielson), 56:09; Silvia Leonessi (Shantel Thompson), 67:56. GK – Abby Baravik, 4 saves.
