|
NCAA Women's Soccer Third Round Preview
Nov. 19, 2008
Complete Release in PDF Format
The third round of the 2008 NCAA Women’s Soccer Championship begins this Friday with two Big Ten teams still in the hunt for the national title. Both Illinois and Minnesota will be playing on the road against No. 1 seeds. Winners from the round of 16 advance to the Elite Eight with games being played on either Nov. 28, 29 or 30. Minnesota enters the third round after defeating Marquette in the first game of the championship, 2-1, and besting South Dakota State in Round 2, 2-0. The Gophers currently hold the Big Ten’s best overall record at 22-3-0. In Minnesota’s two championship games thus far, the Gophers have outscored their opponents, 4-1, which runs parallel to their season goal differential of plus-32. Minnesota is anchored by Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Kelsey Hood and is led from the sidelines by conference Coach of the Year Mikki Denney Wright. Minnesota will face No. 1 seed Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind., at 6:30 p.m CT. Illinois began its run for the NCAA crown with a 1-0 double-overtime win against Memphis in the opening round. The Illini came back two days later and battled host Missouri to a 1-1 tie, eventually defeating the Tigers, 4-3, in penalty kicks. The Orange and Blue now own the Big Ten’s second-best NCAA winning percentage at .559 (9-7-1). Illinois will kickoff at 4:30 p.m. CT against No. 1 seed North Carolina in Chapel Hill, N.C.
|
|
