GRESHAM, Ore. — Maddie David (Fr., Pleasanton, Calif.) scored a five goals to claim Player of the Game honors as Pacific Coast Division Champion/No. 2-ranked California Polytechnic State University built an early lead and never looked back in dispatching Midwest Division Champion/No. 10 Lindenwood University, 8-5, in the semifinals of the 2018 Women’s National Collegiate Club Championship at Mt. Hood Community College.
The victory advances the seven-time (2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011) National Champions into the program’s 12th title game as the Mustangs finished as the runner-up in 2002, 2007, 2012 and 2017. Overall, Cal Poly’s opponent for the 12:45 p.m. Pacific/3:45 p.m. Eastern title game on Sunday, May 6, will be familiar – three-time titlist (2012, 2013, 2017) the University of California-Davis.
The UC-Davis-vs.-Cal Poly title game marks the fourth time the two West Coast uber-teams have squared off for the crown with the Mustangs claiming a 6-2 win in 2011 at the University of Notre Dame before the Aggies picked up the 2012 (2-1 W at Florida State Universty) and 2017 (9-8 W at University of Pittsburgh) crowns.
Cal Poly never trailed in caging the Lindenwood Lions as Taylor Best (Sr., Yorba Linda, Calif.) placed the Mustangs in front to stay by ripping in a shot with 2:19 left in the first quarter.
David expanded the lead to 3-0 in the opening moments of the second quarter by driving in a five-meter penalty shot (6:41) prior to torquing in an even-strength chance at 5:54.
Lindenwood trimmed the margin down to a single-score as Hanna Muller (Fr., East London, South Africa) pumped in back-to-back natural goals at the 5:37 and 3:37 marks to move the Lions within 3-2. The teams traded goals from there with David (2:10) and Madelynn Klein-Courville (Fr., Dixon, Calif.) (1:34) rising and lowering the lead to 4-3 entering halftime.
Cal Poly pulled away in the third quarter as Best (5:40) and David (3:33) lined in shots prior to Claudia Macedo (Sr., San Martin, Calif.) notching a five-meter penalty shot at the 1:28 mark to make it 7-3 going into the fourth quarter.
Lindenwood tried to rally back as Naomi Sanders (Fr., Hollywood, Fla.) and Paige Miller (Fr., Bend, Ore.) started the fourth quarter with consecutive goals at the 5:23 and 4:23 marks, respectively, to inch the Lions within 7-5.
However, the Mustangs’ defense stiffened and David capped off her day with a man-up conversion with 1:23 to go for hte 8-5 final score.
For Cal Poly, David (five) and Best (two) post multi-goal games to go along with a solo strike by Macedo. In cage, Sierra Sheeper (Sr., Menlo Park, Calif.) stopped 10 shots to earn the victory.
Lindenwood received two goals by Muller along with single tallies from Klein-Courville, Miller and Sanders. Goalie Betsy Zanocco (Fr., Arlington Heights, Ill.) took the loss with five saves and four goals allowed in the first half. Harmony Moran (Fr., New Lenox, Ill.) wrapped up the game with three saves and four goals allowed in the second half.
The Lions, who will take on the University of Florida at 11:30 a.m. Pacific/2:30 p.m. Eastern in the Third Place game on May 6, is guaranteed to post the program’s all-time best finish at the Women’s National Collegiate Club Championship.
Previously, Lindenwood tied for 15th in both 2007 at Williams College and 2008 at Mt. Hood Community College, while tying for 13th in 2011 at Notre Dame. More recently, the program placed 12th in 2012 at Florida State University, notched a Fifth Place mark in 2013 at the University of Minnesota and garnered a Seventh Place finish in 2014 at the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio.
| 1st Q | 2nd Q | 3rd Q | 4th Q | – | FINAL | |
| No. 10 Lindenwood University | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | – | 5 |
| No. 2 California Polytchnic State University | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | – | 8 |
| Cal Poly Goals: | Maddie David (5); Taylor Best (2); Claudia Macedo | |||||
| Lindenwood Goals: | Hanna Muller (2); Madelynn Klein-Courville; Paige Miller; Naomi Sanders | |||||
| Saves: | Cal Poly – Sierra Sheeper (10) ; Lindenwood – Betsy Zanocco (5, 14 minutes), Harmony Moran (3, 14 minutes) | |||||
| Exclusions: | Cal Poly – 3 ; Lindenwood – 11 | |||||
| Advantage Opportunities: | Cal Poly – 3-for-11 ; Lindenwood – 0-for-3 | |||||
| Sprints: | Cal Poly – 3-for-4 (2nd, 3rd, 4th) ; Lindenwood – 1-for-4 (1st) | |||||
| Cards/Misconducts: | None | |||||
| Officials: | Kacie Bund, Tony Karaman | |||||
Lindenwood University’s Hanna Muller (#8) unleashes a shot as California Polytechnic State University’s Emily Milton (#11) defends
California Polytechnic State University’s Kayla Illes (#19) tries to stop Lindenwood University’s Nikki Howe (#15)
Lindenwood University’s Paige Miller (#5) tries to get rid of the ball as California Polytechnic State University’s Maddie David (#16) moves in
Lindenwood University’s Abby VerMeer (#20) and California Polytechnic State University’s Emily Milton (#11) battle for the ball
