Titans Lose NCAA Postseason Opener On Penalty Kicks
DePauw University (Ind.) outscored UW-Oshkosh, 2-0, during the penalty kick shootout to win a first-round match of the NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Championship held Friday (Nov. 13) in Grand Rapids, Mich.
The overall result of the contest is a tie, as the teams played to a 1-1 deadlock through two 45-minute halves and a pair of 10-minute overtime sessions. The penalty kick shootout is only used for advancing purposes in tournaments.
With the edge in the penalty kick shootout, DePauw University (12-6-2) moves on to meet regional host Calvin College in the second round of the 64-team national tournament at 1 p.m. on Saturday (Nov. 14) in Grand Rapids.
Calvin College (19-2-2), ranked 20th in the country by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, qualified for its contest against the Tigers with Friday's 3-2 victory over the Milwaukee School of Engineering (15-7).
Following a scoreless first round of penalty kicks, DePauw University took a 1-0 lead on Alyson Marzonie's conversion in the second session. UW-Oshkosh missed on its next three attempts and DePauw University on its next two before the Tigers' Caroline Zadina clinched the victory with her successful score.
Goalkeepers Riley Riordan of DePauw University and Nina Muzi of UW-Oshkosh both saved two shots during the penalty kick shootout.
DePauw University opened the overall scoring quickly as Elizabeth Seewer converted an 18-yard unassisted shot just 7:03 into play. The goal was Seewer's seventh of the season.
UW-Oshkosh kept within close reach of the Tigers until finally equalizing the score on Nikki Mann's 21-yard free kick with 9:05 left in regulation. It was Mann's first goal of the season and just her third in 82 career games.
In overtime, the teams combined for all three of their shots on goal in the first session. Muzi blocked shots by DePauw University's Seewer in the 93rd minute and Marzonie in the 95th, while Riordan stopped a shot by UW-Oshkosh's Robyn Elliott in the 94th.
DePauw University outshot UW-Oshkosh, 21-12, but lost the corner kick category, 5-4.
Seewer led the Tigers with seven shots, including five on goal, while Marzonie, Zadina, Abbie Enright and Megann Lear tallied two each.
UW-Oshkosh (14-4-3) was paced by the three shots from Robyn Elliott and the two from both Rylee Engelland and Christina Mauthe. The Titans had six players record one shot on goal each.
Muzi finished the contest with 11 goalkeeping saves and Riordan five.
UW-Oshkosh concluded its second straight and fourth overall appearance in the NCAA Division III Championship. The Titans, who shared this year's WIAC regular-season title with UW-La Crosse, recorded its highest season victory count since 2004 (15-4-3).
UW-Oshkosh Head Coach Erin Coppernoll's Postgame Press Conference