2017 Women’s National Collegiate Club Championship Schedule & Results
Columbia University-vs.-Washington University in St. Louis Scoresheet
PITTSBURGH, Pa. — Goalie Isabelle Trier (Jr., Glenview, Ill.) made 14 saves to claim Player of the Game accolades as Heartland Division Champion Washington University in St. Louis overcame New York Division Champion Columbia University, 7-2, to earn a game against North Atlantic Division Champion the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for a chance at a Ninth Place berth at the 2017 Women’s National Collegiate Club Championship.
Washington will next be in action at 2:50 p.m. on Saturday, May 6, at the University of Pittsburgh’s Trees Pool against the Engineers with a spot in the national championship’s Ninth Place game at 2:15 p.m. on Sunday, May 7, at stake. Further, the win guarantees that the Bears will record the program’s best finish at the Women’s National Collegiate Club Championship as the team can now finish no lower than 12th with a loss to MIT as long as the Bears complete their remaining games at the tournament. Historically, Washington University in St. Louis previously finished 13th (2014) and 15th (2015, 2016) as the Heartland Division representative.
Overall, the team is a lock to notch the second best finish by a Heartland Division team at the championship as the group previously picked up Eighth (2012-Lindenwood University), 13th (2011-Lindenwood; 2014-Washington), 14th (2010-Illinois State University) and 15th (2005-Knox; 2006, 2009-Carleton College; 2007, 2008-Lindenwood; 2015-Washington; 2016-Washington) place marks in 16-team fields since 2005. From 2001-to-2004, Heartland teams finished 12th (2003—Carthage College; 2004—Carthage) in 12-team fields, while a division representative did not play at either the 2001 or 2002 tournaments.
Washington never trailed in the game as Paige Coughlin (So., Broadview Heights, Ohio) broke the ice 13 seconds into the game to provide the Bears an early 1-0 lead. Maryann Verghese (Gr., Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) responded for Columbia with 2:50 left in the frame to rebalance the scoreboard at two-all.
The teams repeated the pattern in the second quarter as Erin Darnauer (Jr., Friendswood, Texas) returned the lead to Washington with a strike at 6:47 prior to Amy Gong Liu (So., Alameda, Calif.) clanging in a man-up opportunity with 5:13 until halftime to deadlock the teams at two-all by the break.
Columbia would go ice cold from the field in the second half, while Washington found its stride as Michelle Pacheco (Fr., Evanston, Ill.) fired home back-to-back goals with 4:32 and 3:11 remaining in the third quarter to post the game-winner and some insurance in grabbing a 4-2 lead.
Natalie Goldman (Jr., Wilmette, Ill.) and Maddie King (So., Cherry Hill, N.J.) further padded the margin with man-up (6:25) and even-strength (4:54) tallies, respectively, in establishing the 7-2 final score.
For the Bears, Darnauer and Pacheco led the way in the field with pairs of goals. King, Goldman and Coughlin each accounted for solo strikes.
On the other end of the tank, Verghese and Gong Liu accounted for the Lions’ scoring as the team was forced to wear Pitt’s caps due to forgetting their dark caps prior to traveling to the contest. Clara Benioff (Fr., Golden, Colo.) took the loss with six saves.
The defeat drops Columbia into a 13th/15th place game at 9:50 p.m. on Saturday, May 6, against Atlantic Division Champion/No. 12-ranked the University of Virginia. The victor of the Columbia-vs.-Virginia game will finish in a tie for 13th place in the final 16-team standings, while the loser will tie for 15th place. Due to time constraints, the No. 13 and 15 positions are not played out to fruition as the victors and fallen from the final two games on the second day of competition complete the tournament in a pair of ties.
A five-time (2001, 2003, 2007, 2013, 2017) New York Division Champion, the Lios previously placed 12th and ninth in 12 team fields (2001, 2003) before finishing 15th in prior 16-team fields (2007, 2013). Overall, New York teams have placed 10th (2016), 16th (2010), 13th (2012), 15th (2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015) and 16th (2010) since 2005 as Columbia could tie for the second best New York Division finish in 12-years by downing the Cavaliers/Wahoos to tie for 13th.
| Teams | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | — | Final |
| Washington University in St. Louis |
1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | — | 7 |
| Columbia University | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 2 |
Columbia Goals: Maryann Verghese; Amy Gong Liu
Washington University Goals: Erin Darnauer (2); Michelle Pacheco (2); Maddie King; Natalie Goldman; Paige Coughlin
Saves: Columbia – Clara Benioff (6) ; Washington University – Isabelle Trier (14)
Exclusions: Columbia – 3 ; Washington University – 5
Advantage Opportunities: Columbia – 2-for-5 ; Washington University – 1-for-3
Sprints: Columbia – 0-for-4 ; Washington University – 4-for-4
Cards: None
Officials: Jay O’Neil, Michael Schofield
Washington University in St. Louis’ Isabelle Trier
Washington University in St. Louis’ Jennie Greenstein looks for an opening as Columbia University’s Sarah Wang closes in
