GRESHAM, Ore. — Anna Neufeld (So., Merced, Calif.) of Northwest Division runner-up/No. 19 University of Oregon posted a hat-trick with three goals to lead all scorers as the Ducks doubled-up New York Division Champion Cornell University, 12-6, to earn a spot in the 2018 Women’s National Collegiate Club Championship Ninth Place game.
Competing at Mt. Hood Community College, Oregon punched its ticket to the placement game by building a 4-2 first half lead and outscoring the Big Red 8-4 in the second half to pull away for the victory.
The win advances the Ducks into a showdown with either Mid-Atlantic Division Champion/No. 8 Pennsylvania State University or North Atlantic Division Championship runner-up Wellesley College at 2:15 p.m. Pacific/5:15 p.m. Eastern on Sunday, May 5. Cornell will compete in the 11th Place game at 3:30 p.m. Pacific/6:30 p.m. Eastern against the loser from the Penn State-vs.-Wellesley game.
Oregon never trailed in the contest as Neufeld converted a man-up chance (4:51) prior to Sarah Cudworth (Jr., Nevada City, Calif.) connecting on an even-strength strike (4:05) to put the Ducks in front to stay. Kelsey Carpenter (So., Ann Arbor, Mich.) cut the margin in half with a marker for Cornell at 3:42, but Neufeld returned the lead to a pair at 3-1 prior to the conclusion of the quarter by dropping in a shot with 25 seconds left.
The teams traded goals in the second quarter as Anne Clingon (Jr., Houston, Texas) and Christabella Forest (Fr., Chino Hills, Calif.) rocked the iron with blasts for Oregon (4:45) and Cornell (1:51), respectively, to make it a 4-2 game.
In the second half, Oregon blew the game open with a 5-0 run in the third quarter as Katie Hansen (Sr., Orange County, Calif.) (6:29, 4:55), Miranda Moore (Jr., Palos Verdes, Calif.) (5:40, 4:17) and Erika Taylor (So., Burlingame, Calif.) (one second) put away five consecutive natural strikes to grab a 9-2 lead.
Nicole Kristinicz (Fr., McLean, Va.) and Forest cut into the margin by netting back-to-back goals with 5:43 and 4;15 left in the fourth quarter to pull Cornell back to within five at 9-4.
However, the Big Red could pull no closer than five the rest of the way as Ava Hagen (Fr., Tiburon, Calif.) (2:55), Moore (2:06) and Sophia Gemelas (Jr., Madras, Ore.) (1:21) ticked off scores for Oregon, while Carpenter (2:33) and Kristinicz (1:01) found the back of the cage for Cornell in establishing the 12-6 final score.
For Oregon, Moore and Hansen both scored twice to join Neufeld in registering multi-goal games. Cudworth, Hagen, Gemelas, Clington and Taylor all added solo markers. In cage, Corinn Canfield (So., Davenport, Calif.) picked up the win with eight saves.
Cornell received pairs of goals from Carpenter, Kristinicz and Forest. Olivia Lang (Gr., Cupertino, Calif.) took the loss with three saves.
| 1st Q | 2nd Q | 3rd Q | 4th Q | – | FINAL | |
| Cornell University | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | – | 6 |
| No. 19 University of Oregon | 3 | 1 | 5 | 3 | – | 12 |
| Oregon Goals: | Anna Neufeld (3); Miranda Moore (2); Katie Hansen (2); Sarah Cudworth; Ava Hagen; Sophia Gemelas; Anne Clingon; Erika Taylor |
|||||
| Cornell Goals: | Kelsey Carpenter (2); Nicole Krisztinicz (2); Christabella Forest (2) | |||||
| Saves: | Oregon – Corinn Canfield (8) ; Cornell – Olivia Lang (3) | |||||
| Exclusions: | Oregon – 5 ; Cornell – 4 | |||||
| Advantage Opportunities: | Oregon – 1-for-4 ; Cornell – 0-for-5 | |||||
| Sprints: | Oregon – 4-for-4 ; Cornell – 0-for-4 | |||||
| Cards/Misconducts: | None | |||||
| Officials: | Marvel Shoen; Tony Karaman | |||||
University of Oregon’s Jenna Wimmer (#16) tries to turn as Cornell University’s Shayna Barnes (#9) pursues
Cornell University’s Cassandra Benson (#6) cocks to fire a shot over the University of Oregon’s Sophia Gemelas (#3)
University of Oregon’s Jenna Wimmer (#16) prepares to pass as Cornell University’s Kelsey Carpenter (#4) defends
