From Washington University Athletics
The No. 1 Washington University in St. Louis women's soccer team used a strong defensive effort to record a 3-0 win over No. 23 University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in the 2018 NCAA Division III Sectional Semifinal Friday at Francis Field in St. Louis.
WashU improved to 20-0 with the win, while UW-La Crosse ends its season with a 18-3-3 mark. The win for WashU snapped the Eagles 19-match unbeaten streak.
WashU advances to the Sectional championship for the sixth time in the last eight seasons and 10th time in school history. The winner of Saturday's sectional championship game advances to the NCAA Division III Semifinals Friday-Saturday, Nov. 30-Dec. 1, in Greensboro, N.C.
"La Crosse is a great team and very organized. We are happy to get a great result against a really good team," said WashU head coach Jim Conlon. "We are excited with all the support we have been getting from Bear Nation."
WashU had the upper hand in the first half outshooting La Crosse 12-0, and found the back of the net in the 23rd minute.
Senior Maggie Crist made a run down the left side and sent a pass into the box to junior Taylor Cohen, who settled with her left foot and powered a left-footed shot into the near corner. The goal for Cohen was her 15th of the season, tied for sixth most in a single-season in school history.
In the 48th minute, senior Caroline Dempsey sent a cross into the box and deflected off a UW- La Crosse defender and a team save was made to keep it a one-goal game.
Senior Jessica Ridderhoff pushed the lead to 2-0 at 68:22 when she buried a left-footed shot from inside the box to the far corner. Cohen was credited with the assists on the goal, her team-leading eighth of the season.
Ridderhoff sent up the final goal of the game in the 75th minute when she slid pass to Crist who sent a sliding left-footed shot to the far corner to make it 3-0.
WashU outshot La Crosse 21-4 and the Bears had a 4-0 advantage in corner kicks.
Sophomore goalkeeper Emma Greenfield (20-0) made one save as the backline preserved WashU's 16th shutout of the season. The 20th win for Greenfield set a WashU single-season record.
BEAR NOTEBOOK: WashU and UW-La Crosse have split four all-time meetings … The Bears are 26-2-2 all-time at home in NCAA play … WashU has allowed four goals in 20 games … WashU has a 38-14-8 record in NCAA Tournament play … Cohen has scored the game-winning goal in three-straight games, and 13 in her career … The seven game-winning goals for Cohen is the second most in a single season in school history … The 13th shutout for Greenfield tied a single-season record … WashU has won 20 games in a season three times (2012, 2015, 2018) … The 16 shutouts for the Bears tie a school record.