MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The No. 4-ranked and second-seeded West Virginia University women’s soccer team vies for its second-ever bid to the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals Sunday afternoon, as the Mountaineers battle Loyola Marymount at 1 p.m., at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.
Sunday’s third-round victor will advance to face the winner of Penn State – Ohio State on Nov. 27 or Nov. 28. The site will be based on the highest remaining seed in the University Park Regional.
Tickets for Sunday’s match are on sale now at WVUGAME.com. Tickets are $7 for adults, $5 for students and youth, and $2 for groups of 10 or more. Group tickets will only be available in advance and not at the Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium gate. WVU students are admitted for free with a valid WVU student I.D.
Sunday is the Mountaineers’ fourth NCAA Tournament third-round appearance and first since 2010. WVU is 1-2 in third-round games and 14-14-2 in all-time tournament matches. WVU will be playing for two big program records Sunday afternoon, as a win would give the Mountaineers a team-best 19 on the season. Additionally, a victory would be the women’s soccer team’s 100th win at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.
“Every game, the fans have stood behind us and cheered us on, and we have fed off their energy all season long,” said Mountaineer coach Nikki Izzo-Brown. “Sunday could potentially be our last match at home this season, and we not only want a great result, but we also want that 100th win at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.”
The Mountaineers (18-2-1, 6-0-1) and the Lions (15-5-1, 7-2 WCC) have met just once, a 1-0 victory for WVU on Aug. 31, 2008, in Notre Dame, Indiana.
WVU easily moved through the tournament’s first two rounds, earning back-to-back 4-0 victories in Morgantown over Duquesne on Nov. 13 and Northwestern on Nov. 20. It marks the first time in program history WVU has tallied consecutive four-goal games in the tournament and only the second time in 16 seasons the Mountaineers have recorded at least two straight shutouts in the NCAA Tournament; WVU did not allow a goal through the first three rounds of the 2007 Tournament.
WVU has outshot its tournament opponents 48-8 and allowed just two shots on-goal.
“This team has set out to be special, and each of these athletes has a high standard of excellence,” said Izzo-Brown. “They want to continue to separate themselves from the teams that have come before them, and they want to advance in this tournament. I have stood behind my senior leaders and our upperclassmen all year, and I know they will do what needs to be done to get a win Sunday.”
Senior Hannah Steadman made two saves in the tournament and shows 12 shutouts on the season, the second-best mark in program history. Anchored by three-time reigning Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Kadeisha Buchanan, the Mountaineer defense earned its program-record 15th shutout of the season against the Wildcats. WVU has allowed just seven goals all year. The program record for fewest opponent goals allowed is 13, a feat achieved by the 2002, 2006 and 2008 squads.
The Mountaineer offense also set a program single-season record in the win against NU, as the team’s four goals pushed its season total to 56, besting the previous program record of 55, set in 2006. Senior forward Kailey Utley (9 G, 6 A) and sophomore forward Michaela Abam (11 G, 2 A) pace the Mountaineers with 24 points, a career-best total for both. Eight different Mountaineers have tallied a goal through the first two tournament rounds, including game-winning scores from sophomore midfielder Carla Portillo (vs. Duquesne) and senior midfielder Amanda Hill (vs. Northwestern).
LMU advanced to the third round for the first time in program history with a 1-0 win against Minnesota on Nov. 20, in Morgantown. Sophomore forward Sarah Sanger tallied the game-winner 4:16 into the match, while redshirt-freshman Charlee Pruitt made seven saves for the team’s 12th shutout of the season.
“LMU has come into this tournament without any fear,” said Izzo-Brown of the Lions, who showed a 0-2 mark in tournament play prior to 2015. “They have a great possession style of soccer and benefit from great on-field leadership. They work extremely hard and don’t fear anyone. I anticipate a great game Sunday afternoon.”
Senior midfielder Jocelyn Blankenship paces LMU with 20 points (7 G, 6 A). Pruit shows an 11-3 record in net and boasts a 0.58 goals-against average. She has allowed eight goals in 16 games and posted seven clean sheets.
