Stew Salowitz, Illinois Wesleyan Sports Information
IWU Postmatch Comments
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - Illinois Wesleyan junior Alison Seger scored in the 105th minute to give the IWU women's soccer team a 1-0 two-overtime victory over Pomona-Pitzer in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at Neis Field on Sunday, Nov. 15.
The No. 7-ranked Titans will move onto the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament for the second year in a row with a 20-2-0 record while the Sagehens saw their season come to a close with a 12-9-1 record. It is the second time this season that Illinois Wesleyan scored in the 105th minute to secure a win.
Neither team found the back of the net in regulation, as what looked to be an Illinois Wesleyan goal off a cross from a free kick in the 53rd minute was waved off due to an offsides. In the first overtime period, both the Titans and Sagehens would only get one shot off, sending the game to a second overtime period. IWU would barrage the Sagehen goalie with three shots in the second sudden-death period before Seger netted her eighth goal of the year. Seger's goal would come on her second shot attempt as her first one was saved by the Pomona-Pitzer goalie and deflected right back to her where she buried one in the back of the net.
Freshman Katie Denney stood tall between the pipes for the Titans, posting her 10th shutout of the season while making five saves including a crucial one in the first OT period.
IWU held an advantage in most statistical categories, outshooting the Sagehens 26-9 (15-5 shots on goal advantage) and were awarded nine corner kicks to only one for Pomona-Pitzer.
What's Next?
Illinois Wesleyan will face off with Wisconsin-Whitewater in the third round of the NCAA Tournament next weekend with a location and time to be determined. The Titans knocked off the Warhawks in the first game of the season 1-0 on a goal by Emily Snider in the 15th minute. The other side of the bracket will feature Washington U-St. Louis vs. Wartburg with the winners squaring off for a chance to go to the NCAA Final Four.
NOTES: Illinois Wesleyan now has a 9-5-3 record in postseason play all-time. Six of the nine wins have come in the past two seasons ... The Titans have outscored opponents 62-8 this season ...
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The College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) was founded in 1946 and currently services eight member institutions including Augustana College (Rock Island, IL), Carthage College (Kenosha, WI), Elmhurst College (Elmhurst, IL), Illinois Wesleyan University (Bloomington, IL), Millikin University (Decatur, IL), North Central College (Naperville, IL), North Park University (Chicago, IL) and Wheaton College (Wheaton, IL). During the 2014-15 academic year, the CCIW honored over 1,500 academic all-conference recipients, 19 CoSIDA Academic All-Americans, 46 CoSIDA Academic All-District recipients and 102 all-Americans.