McGillaEUs Goals Send Mavs to Quarterfinals
Nov 13, 2005 | Women's Soccer
OMAHA, Neb. - Junior forward Beth McGill scored two quick goals to set the pace Sunday as Nebraska-Omaha defeated Minnesota State 4-0 in front of a three-year high 586 fans to advance to the NCAA quarterfinals. The No. 7 Mavericks, who have now won the Central Region tournament the last four years, will host Great Lakes Region winner Grand Valley State Sunday at noon at the Soccer Field at Ak-Sar-Ben for a chance to advance to their fourth straight NCAA final four.
The win marked the second time the Mavs defeated MSU in the regional final and the fifth time they have topped MSU outside of regular season play. The Mavericks are now 13-1-0 all-time against the conference rival.
The UNO Mavericks (17-2-0) controlled the game early as they fought off a strong wind. McGill connected with a pass in the left side of the box from sophomore forward Brandie Beale and headed it in at the 5:39 mark for what was her fifth game-winner. The shot, from about 10 yards out, riffled straight off her head and into the right corner of the net.
UNO, which had had trouble scoring early, put another one in almost 10 minutes later. Junior midfielder Amber Richardson set up for a corner kick in the 16th minute and after it bounced towards the back of the box sophomore midfielder Danielle McCawley shot it low and into the goalkeeper's hands. Jennie Dehamer, the MSU keeper, made the save but spilled the ball forward. McGill, the North Central Conference MVP, was right there to tap the rebound in for her team-leading 16th goal.
The Mavericks went into halftime enjoying their first two-goal intermission lead since playing Augustana October 14 by keeping the MSU Mavericks to just two first-half shots and one on goal. The UNO Mavs then controlled most of the second half, taking 12 shots, but it took them awhile to get back on the scoreboard. After senior goalkeeper Amy Price preserved the shutout late in the game with some of her best saves of the year, NCC freshman of the year Amanda Iwansky took a pass from McGill in the 71st minute and dribbled it through Dehamer's hands and into the net for her 13th goal of the year.
With three minutes remaining in the game UNO freshman midfielder Whitney Hill set up for a free kick 30 yards out. Her low line drive skimmed off sophomore forward Ali Portell's head and into the goal for Portell's fifth goal, making her the fifth Maverick with 10 or more points this year.
The Mavericks took 21 shots and held 24th-ranked MSU to just 8. Beale and McGill led the team with five each. MSU, which wrapped up its season at 11-9-1, took eight shots and put five on goal. Price made five saves for her 30th career solo shutout and the team's 11th of the year.
UNO is now 10-3-1 all-time in NCAA tournament play and 6-0-1 in regional play. Grand Valley State advanced to its first quarterfinal with a 2-0 win at Northern Kentucky in the Great Lakes Region final. The Lakers are 19-2-0 and ranked 12th in the country. The Mavs have never met GVSU.
The win marked the second time the Mavs defeated MSU in the regional final and the fifth time they have topped MSU outside of regular season play. The Mavericks are now 13-1-0 all-time against the conference rival.
The UNO Mavericks (17-2-0) controlled the game early as they fought off a strong wind. McGill connected with a pass in the left side of the box from sophomore forward Brandie Beale and headed it in at the 5:39 mark for what was her fifth game-winner. The shot, from about 10 yards out, riffled straight off her head and into the right corner of the net.
UNO, which had had trouble scoring early, put another one in almost 10 minutes later. Junior midfielder Amber Richardson set up for a corner kick in the 16th minute and after it bounced towards the back of the box sophomore midfielder Danielle McCawley shot it low and into the goalkeeper's hands. Jennie Dehamer, the MSU keeper, made the save but spilled the ball forward. McGill, the North Central Conference MVP, was right there to tap the rebound in for her team-leading 16th goal.
The Mavericks went into halftime enjoying their first two-goal intermission lead since playing Augustana October 14 by keeping the MSU Mavericks to just two first-half shots and one on goal. The UNO Mavs then controlled most of the second half, taking 12 shots, but it took them awhile to get back on the scoreboard. After senior goalkeeper Amy Price preserved the shutout late in the game with some of her best saves of the year, NCC freshman of the year Amanda Iwansky took a pass from McGill in the 71st minute and dribbled it through Dehamer's hands and into the net for her 13th goal of the year.
With three minutes remaining in the game UNO freshman midfielder Whitney Hill set up for a free kick 30 yards out. Her low line drive skimmed off sophomore forward Ali Portell's head and into the goal for Portell's fifth goal, making her the fifth Maverick with 10 or more points this year.
The Mavericks took 21 shots and held 24th-ranked MSU to just 8. Beale and McGill led the team with five each. MSU, which wrapped up its season at 11-9-1, took eight shots and put five on goal. Price made five saves for her 30th career solo shutout and the team's 11th of the year.
UNO is now 10-3-1 all-time in NCAA tournament play and 6-0-1 in regional play. Grand Valley State advanced to its first quarterfinal with a 2-0 win at Northern Kentucky in the Great Lakes Region final. The Lakers are 19-2-0 and ranked 12th in the country. The Mavs have never met GVSU.
Players Mentioned
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