Box Score PENSACOLA, Fla. – Sometimes it lasts in love and sometimes it hurts instead.
The Chico State women’s soccer team now knows both sides. The Wildcats have been singing the Adele song, “Someone Like You” throughout a remarkable postseason run. “Sometimes it lasts in love…,” go the lyrics. And the Wildcats’ season lasted longer than almost anyone outside of the program could have imagined.
After beating four straight higher seeds to advance to the Final Four for the first time in program history, they pushed two-time defending NCAA Champion Grand Valley State – the nation’s top-ranked team – to the brink. But after playing to a 1-1 draw through regulation and 20 minutes of overtime, they succumbed in a shootout, 3-2.
“…And sometimes it hurts instead.”
Tears were certainly shed by Head Coach Kim Sutton and seniors Lisa Webster and Molly Downtain during the post-match press conference, but smiles abounded all the more. Put it this way: The Wildcats will still be singing all the way home.
“It’s been a phenomenal run. What a team,” said Sutton. “They’ve been resilient. We have super leadership. They’re super committed. This is the most committed team I’ve ever had and I am just so proud. It was a magical season.”
The Wildcats had twice pulled a rabbit out of their collective hat during the magical postseason push, winning their first and third round matches via shootouts. But number three was not to be.
True freshman goalkeeper Brianna Furner was great, saving two shots. But Lakers goalkeeper Chelsea Parise was also up to the task and turned away three, sending the Lakers to the title match for the third straight season and fourth time in the last six years.
“Chico State was definitely the most difficult team we've played against this season,” said Lakers Head Coach Dave Dillani. “Their style of play is very direct on offense and defense and they were really hard to defend on set pieces. They put a lot of pressure on us for 20 minutes and they buckled us.”
Furner was fantastic throughout the day, saving nine Grand Valley State shots. It was the Lakers’ first shot of the day, a flicked header at the near post by Maria Brown, that proved to be their only goal. And it happened before the Wildcats could even find their footing, just 53 seconds in.
Ashley Botts saved a ball from going over the end line, popping it up to Erin Mruz at the corner of the box. Mruz one-timed a pass to the near post where Brown waited to direct it just inside the near post.
“Understandably, we were a little nervous early – a little soft,” said Sutton. “No discredit to Grand Valley State. That was a beautiful goal. But I knew with it being our first time here that we might be a little nervous.”
The nerves didn’t last. In fact, the Wildcats created numerous scoring opportunities in the first half and continued to threaten throughout the second half against a Lakers squad that had surrendered just seven goals all season long.
Make that eight.
The Wildcats got the equalizer in the 86th minute. Alyx Williams drew a foul near the corner kick spot to set things in motion. Blake Lopes' free kick washed back out to her and she delivered a perfect pass to Megan Tabler just beyond the far post. Tabler patiently poked the ball back into the mouth of the goal where Webster waited to whack it home.
“It was magic,” said Sutton.
“I give all the credit to Megan and Blake, who put a gorgeous ball in,” said Webster, who deserves a bit of credit as well for going in among the giants and scoring what almost became the biggest goal in Chico State history. It was her 22nd career strike. The fouth-year senior hangs up her cleats ranked tied for third in school history with 19 assists, fifth with 63 points, and tied for sixth in goals.
Carly Singer almost scored a few minutes prior, but missed by half a ball when her strike shot off the inside of the post and out.
She made the Wildcats’ first penalty kick, setting things up beautifully when Furner saved the Lakers’ second attempt. But Parise pounced on the next two Chico State attempts.
Thanks to another Furner save, Lopes had a chance to knot things up at two apiece with one shooter still to come for each team. And the senior came through with a brilliant shot, followed by perhaps a better celebration.
Grand Valley State’s Megan Brown converted, leaving Downtain to try to keep the Wildcats alive. She struck it well, but Parise made a spectacular save. Suddenly, the season was over.
“We were confident that Bri(anna) would make a couple saves,” said Sutton. “We were just unlucky they made one more. That’s how soccer works. Sometimes it doesn’t go your way.”
For most of 2011, things did go the Wildcats’ way. This is the first team to ever win an NCAA Tournament match outright, the first to advance past the second round, and the first to win the hearts of an entire University and community.
“Don’t forget me, I beg,” sings Adele later in the song. Chico State’s fans certainly won’t. This was, after all, an unforgettable season.
BOX SCORE
MATCH NOTES – The Wildcats were 8-1-3 in their final 12 matches after a 5-5-3 start…The Wildcats had won three straight NCAA Championship Tournament shootouts prior to Thursday, and Downtain had knocked home the game winner in two of them…Chico State finished the season 4-1-3 against teams ranked in the top 25…Downtain finishes her illustrious career with the most NCAA Tournament matches played in school history (8)…Sutton’s starting lineup featured four true freshmen – Tabler, Williams, Furner and defender Kelly Skelton – and two more freshmen saw action.
