CSS Women's Soccer Wins UMAC Tournament Title Away from Home
Jesse Robinson
Notables
-First UMAC Tournament championship game away from Duluth for CSS since 2002
-Kaylee Benson named UMAC Tournament MVP
-Rancour has recorded at least one goal in seven straight games
-CSS has won eight of the last nine UMAC Tournament championships
ST. PAUL – The St. Scholastica women's soccer team got a goal in each half as it defeated top-seeded University of Northwestern 2-0 at Reynolds Field on Saturday to win its fifth straight Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) Tournament championship and receive the conference's automatic qualifier into next week's NCAA Tournament.
The Saints controlled possession throughout and got on the scoreboard in the 34
th minute when Leah Hamm played it forward to Becca Rancour, who out-ran the defender and then beat the goalkeeper near post to make it 1-0. That would be the score at halftime as the Saints out-shot Northwestern 11-5 in the half with the Eagles not getting a shot on goal.
Northwestern put some pressure on the Saints in the first 15 minutes of the second half, but Kelsey Reeves made three saves during that span to preserve the lead for St. Scholastica.
CSS then extended its lead to 2-0 when Peyton Bacso found Hamm on the back post and Hamm found the back of the net in the 64
th minute. Northwestern would get only one more shot on the goal the rest of the way as the Saints prevailed 2-0 under the lights.
The Saints out-shot the Eagles 23-12 in the contest, including 9-4 on goal. Reeves made four saves to earn her seventh shutout of the season and her 36
th of her career. Josie Monson had seven saves in the loss for the Eagles (13-6-0).
The Saints (12-6-1) will find out who, where and when they will by playing in the NCAA Division III Tournament on Monday at noon on NCAA.com.