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SOMERS, Wis. (Nov. 6, 2013)-- The University of Wisconsin-Parkside women's soccer team continues its postseason run on Friday, taking on 20th-ranked Truman State University in the Great Lakes Valley Conference Championship Tournament Semifinals at Quincy University's Legends Stadium.
The third-seeded Rangers and second-seeded Bulldogs meet at 12 p.m. on Friday with the host and top-seeded Hawks facing Rockhurst University at 5 p.m. The semifinal winners will meet on Sunday at noon inside Legends Stadium.
About the Rangers: UW-Parkside (12-3-3) enters Friday's semifinal clash having won two straight 1-0 games. The Rangers needed overtime to put away Lewis University 1-0 on Oct. 30 to close the regular season as
Kaela Hoecherl notched the game-winner 62 seconds into the extra session while an
Alex Johnson rocket from 35 yards out proved to be the lone score on Sunday as the Rangers edged Drury University 1-0 at Wood Road Field in the opening round of the GLVC Championship Tournament.
Hoecherl continues to lead the Rangers offense with a team-high eight goals and 17 points, including five game-winners.
Emily Konior is second in points (13) and goals (six) and is a perfect three-for-three in penalty kicks this season.
Jasmine Espino and
Stephanie Barsuli each have four goals and three assists while Johnson leads the team with six assists.
Defensively the Rangers have posted shutouts in 10 of the 18 games this season with
Emily Konior,
Karley Mecko,
Niekie Pellens and
Kelly Trojak anchoring the backline while goalkeeper
Mallory Geurts continues to enjoy a phenomenal debut season with the Rangers.
Geurts secured her third GLVC Defensive Player of the Week honor on Monday and has 65 saves on the season with a goals against average of 0.65. The freshman has allowed just 12 goals in 1,657 minutes of work, securing 10 clean sheets on the season.
About the Bulldogs: No. 20 Truman State (12-3-4) moved up for spots in the most recent NSCAA Top 25 Poll and is unbeaten in its last three games (2-0-1) after downing William Jewell College 2-1 on Sunday in the first round of the GLVC Tournament.
Against Jewell, the visiting Cardinals staked a 1-0 lead in the 55th minute before Megan Frkovic tied the contest 12 minutes later. Kristina Weisher emerged as the hero with the game-winner in the 88th minute of play.
Truman ended the regular season by steamrolling University of Illinois Springfield 4-0 on Oct. 27 before settling for a weather shortened 0-0 draw with Quincy on Oct. 30. The match was called after 75 minutes had elapsed due to lightning and poor field conditions.
Trisha Shoemaker is the Bulldogs top offensive threat, leading the team in goals (eight) and points (20) while sitting tied for the lead in assists with four. Alexis Heffernan has three goals and four assists on the year while Kristina Weisher and Sally Smith have each tallied four assists in 2013.
Emily Bozdeck has logged all 1,766 minutes of the season in goal, posting 11 shutouts in 19 games with 68 saves and a goals against average of 0.41.
The Rangers and Bulldogs last met on Sept. 22 in Kirksville, Mo., with the homestanding Bulldogs prevailing 2-1 in overtime. Truman's Jessica Hanson opened the scoring in the 37th minute before Mecko tallied the equalizer in the 61st minute with a header off a corner kick. Alexis Hoffernan tallied the decisive score, finding the back of the net in the fifth minute of overtime.
About the Quincy Hawks: GLVC regular season champion Quincy (15-0-4) heads into Friday's semifinal with Rockhurst ranked eighth in the nation, climbing up seven spots from the previous week. Quincy is 9-0 at Legends Stadium this season and owns a 20-1-1 record at home over the past two seasons. The Hawks' lone blemish during that stretch was a 2-1 loss to UW-Parkside on Nov. 11 in the opening round of the 2012 NCAA Division II Tournament.
The stout Quincy defense has yielded just six goals on the season, posting 12 shutouts while allowing just one goal over the last nine games.
Jaclyn Mastroianni is the Hawks' top offensive threat and has played a role in 20 of the 27 goals scored this season. The senior leads the team in goals (10), assists (10), points (30) and game-winning goals (four). Ashley Burton has found the back of the net on seven occasions while Taylor Wakeland had four assists in 2013.
Jodi Chapie has started all 19 games in goal for QU, making 57 saves and sporting a goals against average of 0.32. Chapie ranks sixth in the nation in save percentage (.902) and ranks eighth in GAA.
The Rangers and Hawks last met on Sept. 20 at Legends Stadium with host Quincy prevailing 3-2 with Kristina Vogt netting the game-winner in the 89th minute.
About the Rockhurst Hawks: Fourth-seed Rockhurst (12-4-3) heads into Friday riding a four-game win streak and haven't allowed a goal in 456 minutes. The Hawks closed the regular season with a dominating 6-0 victory over Saint Joseph's College on Oct. 27 before downing William Jewell College 2-0 on Oct. 30 to secure a home game in the opening round of the GLVC Tournament. Rockhurst utilized a pair of first half goals on Sunday to soar past Bellarmine University 2-0 to set up a semifinal rematch with Quincy.
Rockhurst enjoyed a 9-0-1 record at home but is just 3-4-2 in road or neutral site contests.
Taylor Skala leads Rockhurst in goals (seven) and points (18) while Katie Kujawa is second in both categories with five goals and 11 points. Kasey Lierz is the Hawks leader in assists with six while Jamison Wipke adds five on the season.
Ali Wallner has started all but one game in goal for the Hawks, logging 10 shutouts and making 67 saves with a goals against average of 0.53.
The Rangers and Hawks last met on Oct. 20 with host UW-Parkside earning a 1-0 victory for head coach
Troy Fabiano's 200th career win.
Vianey Hernandez provided the lone score, heading the ball in on a corner kick with
Alex Johnson and
Stephanie Barsuli earning assists.
GLVC Tournament Rewind: Last season the Rangers were ousted in the opening round 3-2 at the hands of Rockhurst. Rockhurst fell to eventual champion Quincy in the semifinals while Truman State is making its debut appearance in the GLVC Tournament in its first season as a league member. The Bulldogs were affiliated with the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association previously with the squad falling 1-0 to Fort Hays State University in the opening round of the MIAA Tournament in 2012. The Rangers have qualified for the GLVC Tournament 17 times, including every season since 1999.
15 and Counting: Under head coach
Troy Fabiano the Rangers have experienced 15 straight winning seasons a streak spanning all the way back to 1999, Fabiano's second year as coach. He currently owns a 202-71-26 career mark in 16 seasons at the helm, making six NCAA appearances and winning four GLVC Championships. Fabiano became the 21st active coach in NCAA Division II to eclipse 200 wins on Oct. 20 with a 1-0 win over Rockhurst University.
Three and Counting: UW-Parkside has made the NCAA Tournament the past three seasons and four of the last five years. The Rangers earned a berth to the Sweet 16 in both 2012 and 2010 while advancing to the second round in 2011.
Home Sweet Home: The Rangers have been nearly invincible at home in recent years, posting a 33-1-4 record over the last 38 games at Wood Road Field. The lone loss was a 3-2 defeat to Rockhurst on Oct. 28, 2012 in the GLVC Tournament. UW-Parkside is 9-0 at the friendly confines of Wood Road Field in 2013.
GLVC Titles: UW-Parkside has won the GLVC Championship Tournament on four occasions. The Rangers last hoisted the league crown in 2010 and also own GLVC Tournament titles from 2008, 2004 and 2003. Quincy has won the GLVC Championship just once (2012) while Rockhurst and Truman State have never won the GLVC.
GLVC in the Top 25: Two teams represent the GLVC in this week's NSCAA Top 25 Poll. Quincy climbs one spot to No. 8 while Truman State rises four spots to 20th.