Foley, Ala.  – [Final Site Schedule] [Bracket] Once again the 2023 NAIA Women's Soccer Championship Quarterfinals were packed with highlight goals and saves from all teams involved. The first two games of the day were separated by one goal, while the cinderella story of Life (Ga.) ended. Only four teams remain in the battle for the red banner, of the four teams only two of them are returning to the Semifinal game from last season in Spring Arbor (Mich.) and Cumberlands (Ky.).

GAME NOTES/HIGHLIGHTS

No. 1 William Carey (Miss.) def. No. 9 Aquinas (Mich.), 3-2

• William Carey (Miss.) got in behind the Saints defensive line for their best look on the day in the seventh minute, but Aquinas (Mich.) had everyone back for three goal line clearances as the Crusaders were unable to find net.
• Aquinas (Mich.) had good looks on goal through the first 25 minutes of the first half, but similar to William Carey (Miss.) they have not been able to find the go-ahead goal.
• The Saints broke through in the 29^th minute as Brittney Probst switched the side of the field to find Maeva Lichtensteiger who chipped the Crusaders goalkeeper for the 1-0 lead.
• William Carey (Miss.) continued to apply pressure late in the first half with multiple chances on goal, but the national leader in fewest goals allowed this season proved to be a tough battle as the Crusaders continued to look for an answer.
• WCU was fouled just outside the 18-yard box in the 41^st minute, Maria Azarias was called upon to take the free kick, in which she leveled the field as she found the bottom corner of the goal to knot this game up at 1-1 just before the break.
• The Saints went back on top in the 55^th minute as Sandra Segovia and Brittney Probst found Macy Hollingsworth for the one time shot to lead top seeded William Carey (Miss.).
• Azarias once again took a free kick at the top of the box for the Crusaders to knot this game once again, but Kayla Shuk of AQ made a spectacular save to push it over the crossbar and keep the Saints on top.
• WCU continued to let the shots fly after that opportunity, but Shuk for Aquinas (Mich.) was on point making another great save to keep the margin in favor of the Saints.
• William Carey (Miss.) made Aquinas (Mich.) pay after a foul on the top of the box once again, Azarias took the kick and got the deflection to tie this game back up at 2-2, marking the first time all season that the Saints have conceded multiple goals in a game.
• The Crusaders for the first time in this quarterfinal game have the lead in the 88^th minute as Mariangela Jimenez found Christina Salmon around the pk stripe for the goal and the 3-2 lead.

No. 12 Tennessee Southern def. No. 4 Central Methodist (Mo.), 1-0

• The first 30 minutes of the match was near even as both teams were settling in and working the ball around the field, Central Methodist (Mo.) had four shots while Tennessee Southern had only two.
• UT Southern and CMU both looked to find the difference maker in the first half as the head coaches made some substitutions.
• Candela Blanco Esteb came up with the big time save in the 52^nd minute of the game as she was able to get just enough of a fingertip on the ball to push it off the post.
• Blanco Esteb was called upon once again just minutes later to make another point blank save to keep the game at 0-0.
• The game broke open in the 60^th minute as Nao Katamoto sent her shot into the upper corner and past the outstretched Blanco Esteb for the 1-0 lead.
• CMU earned back-to-back corner kicks in the 71^st minute but weren’t threatening with their opportunities until the 73^rd minute when they posted consecutive shots.
• UT Southern threatened to go ahead 2-0 in the 76^th minute, but was pulled just wide of the post.
• The Eagles had a good look on goal in the 78^th minute from 20-yards out, then Layken Stockstill from the Firehawks was able to track the shot through traffic to make the save and preserve the 1-0 lead.

No. 2 Spring Arbor (Mich.) def. Life (Ga.), 2-0

• Spring Arbor (Mich.) had the first chance of the game in the third minute off the foot of Isa Martinez but it was pushed wide by Grace Staunton who earned the start in goal for Life (Ga.).
• Lilja Bjorg Olafsdottir took the dangerous set piece for the Running Eagles in the ninth minute as Blair Currie tracked it and was able to make the initial save then grab the rebound before anyone else got a touch on the ball.
• SAU flipped the field with a good look on goal of their own in the 10^th minute as Ariana Stoltzfus took the shot and Grace Staunton was there for the save to keep the game at 0-0.
• Staunton came up big in the 15^th minute of this game making a fantastic save at point blank range to keep Life (Ga.) in the game.
• The Cougars looked to threaten in the 31^st minute on a cross where Lauren Moellering was in the box but got under the ball a little too much and sent it high over the bar.
• SAU turned the pressure up to start the second half with a shot from Lauren Marshall in the 48^th minute that Staunton collected for her seventh save of the game.
• The Cougars had another dangerous free kick with 20 minutes left in the half, Ariana Stoltzfus was the hero for SAU with her seventh goal of the season in the 71^st minute to put Spring Arbor on top 1-0.
• The Running Eagles never gave up though as they had a set piece of their own from 30-yards out that SAU was able to clear and advance up field.
• Spring Arbor netted the insurance goal in the 80^th minute as Jocelyn Hendricks found Kaylee Beekel who put it in the back of the net to put SAU ahead 2-0.

No. 3 Cumberlands (Ky.) def. Hope International (Calif.), 2-0

• The Patriots struck first in the final game of Quarterfinal night in the eighth minute as Jayden Boelter had a beautiful shot just over the Hope International goalkeeper for the 1-0 lead.
• Cumberlands (Ky.) struck again from distance in the 23^rd minute off the foot of Boelter once again and this time for the insurance goal to lead 2-0 early.
• Hope International had their first look on goal of the game in the 27^th minute from distance from Ryley Candelario but it wasn’t much of a threat as Georgia Martell was able to shuffle to her left and collect the shot with ease.
• After a first half that was all Boelter, she came out firing in the second half with another shot from distance in the 46^th minute but wasn’t able to get the hat trick right away as Haley Slouka picked it up for the save.
• Cumberlands (Ky.) continued to knock on the door for goal number three of the game and nearly had it before a foul was called near the end line.
• HIU looked to tighten the margin in the 68^th minute as Christiane Sundstrom let a shot fly that hit the crossbar making it their best look on goal in the second half to this point.
• The Royals continued to threaten down the stretch of this game with Keyla Fragoso notching back-to-back shots in the 74^th and 75^th minutes.

COVERAGE

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