From University of Chicago Athletics
A tight first half made way for a second half full of University of Chicago women's soccer offense to propel the No. 3 Maroons to a 4-0 win over Hope College in Saturday's NCAA Division III Tournament Second Round match at Stagg Field.
The victory gave the host its 11th berth into the NCAA Round of 16 and earned the Maroons (19-1) the 2017 regional title, their second-straight.
UChicago will advances into the NCAA Sectional Round to be played Nov. 17-19 at sites yet to be determined. The Maroons will face the winner of Loras and Wheaton (Ill.), who faced off Saturday at 8 p.m. CT.
The first nearly 15 minutes of Saturday's match proved equal, as Hope (19-3-1), winners of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association, held a strong counter attack that kept the Maroons at bay.
A fantastic run down the left side by junior Jenna McKinney helped senior teammate Madori Spiker finally break the scoreless tie in the 14th, as McKinney crossed it in front of the box for Spiker, who finished to put her team up, 1-0.
That lead would hold until halftime, and UChicago emerged from the locker room a recharged team. The Maroons reserves – UChicago played 23 different players in the match -- kept the offensive pressure high, and it was McKinney again who found herself a part of the scoring, as she took a pass from teammate Katie Jasminski, spun, and kicked it past the Hope keeper to make it 2-0 in the 72nd.
Just four minutes later, senior midfielder Mia Calamari delivered one of UChicago's 12 corner kicks into the box that found the foot of McKinney, who – with her back to the goal – back-kicked the ball through a Hope defender's legs to push the lead to three.
Rachel Dias would cap the scoring in the 79th, taking Jasminski's second assist of the day and chipping it high over the keeper to produce the final score.
Sophomore keeper Katie Donovan (16-0) recorded the win, stopping two shots, as she teamed up with second-half keeper Miranda Malone to capture UChicago's 15th shutout of the season. The Maroons outshot the Dutch, 16-9, including 9-0 in the second half, and held a 12-3 advantage in corner kicks.