2015 SCIAC Women’s Soccer Postseason Tournament Preview

CLAREMONT, Calif. – As a result of finishing in second place in the conference standings during the regular season, the No. 2 seed Claremont-Mudd-Scripps women's soccer team is hosting a semifinal match of the SCIAC Postseason Tournament against No. 3 Cal Lutheran on Thursday, Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. on Pritzlaff Field. The championship match of this single elimination tournament will be played on Saturday, Nov. 7 on the home field of the highest remaining seed with time yet to be determined.

The winner of the SCIAC Postseason Tournament earns the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Championships which begin next week. Top-seeded Redlands is hosting fourth-seeded Pomona-Pitzer on Nov. 5 in the other semifinal match.

SCHEDULE
Thursday, Nov. 5
No. 4 Pomona-Pitzer at No. 1 Redlands – 7 p.m.
No. 3 Cal Lutheran at No. 2 CMS– 7 p.m. (Pritzlaff Field)

Saturday, Nov. 7
Winner of CMS/Cal Lutheran vs. winner of Redlands/Pomona-Pitzer – Time TBD*

*Match played at highest remaining seed

LIVE STATS/VIDEO (Per SCIAC rules, streaming will be available at a cost for $5)

• Live Stats/Video

TICKET INFORMATION
Ticket prices for admission to SCIAC Postseason Tournament matches are set by the conference and are as follows:

• Spectators w/ current SCIAC ID (Students, Faculty, Staff) – Free
• Children 12 and under – Free
• All others - $5

SCIAC TOURNAMENT MERCHANDISE
SCIAC Postseason Tournament shirts will be sold at the event.

TEAMS
The same four teams that were in last season's SCIAC Postseason Tournament are back in again this year, although the seeds have changed slightly. Last season, CMS was the top seed followed by Cal Lutheran, Pomona-Pitzer and Redlands.

No. 1 Redlands Bulldogs (11-4-2, 9-4-1 SCIAC)
Redlands won the SCIAC regular season title for the sixth time in program history and first time since 2008. As the fourth seed in last year's SCIAC Tournament, Redlands upset CMS 1-0 in the semifinals. Redlands this season enters the tournament having won six of its last seven matches but did lose its last match, 2-0 at Occidental. Redlands is 1-1 this season against CMS and 4-2 against teams in the tournament. Four-year starter and senior captain Savannah Laursen leads Redlands in goals (9), assists (3), and points (21).

No. 2 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Athenas (10-6-4, 7-4-3 SCIAC)
The Athenas are 3-2-1 against teams in the field (Redlands 1-1; Cal Lutheran 0-1-1; Pomona-Pitzer 2-0). CMS is 7-2-1 since the start of October. Senior forward Darrah Shields (CMC) leads the Athena offense with six goals, six assists and 18 points. She also has three game-winning goals to her credit, two of which came against Pomona-Pitzer. Junior goalie Kelly McConnell (HMC) has four shutouts for CMS in net.

No. 3 California Lutheran Regals (8-8-2, 7-5-2 SCIAC)
Cal Lu is the lone team in the field that CMS has not defeated this season. Cal Lu and CMS played to a 1-1 double overtime tie in Thousand Oaks on Sept. 26. Then on Pritzlaff Field on Oct. 21, Cal Lu defeated CMS 1-0. Cal Lu is 2-3-1 against the tournament field. The Regals are led by Raquel Weckhurst with 12 goals and five assists.

No. 4 Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens (9-8-1, 7-6-1 SCIAC)
CMS is 2-0 against their top rivals this season, with both wins coming on game-winning goals from Shields for 1-0 victories. Pomona-Pitzer is 2-4 against the tournament field. Entering the postseason, Pomona-Pitzer has a 1-4-1 record in its last six matches. Danika Bethune leads the team in goals (11) and points (26).

By Chris Watts
Director of Athletics Communication
Claremont McKenna College

Sign up for CMS Email Updates
Become a fan of CMS Athletics on Facebook: AthleticsCMS
Follow CMS Athletics on Twitter: @AthleticsCMS
Follow Athenas Soccer on Twitter @CMSwsoccer
CMS Athletics on Instagram: cmsathletics
Watch CMS Athletics videos on YouTube: ClaremontMuddScripps
#goathenas    #gostags