Memphis bests CC 1-0

DALLAS - Memphis sophomore midfielder Lizzy Hildebrandt netted the game-winner in the 15th minute and the UofM defense held on for its school-record 11th shutout of the season in a 1-0 victory against Colorado College. Memphis advances to the C-USA title game for the third year in a row to defend its 2007 and 2008 titles.
Hildebrandt scored on a header off a corner kick by C-USA Offensive Player of the Year Ashley Berra, who registered her team-leading eighth assist of the season and third of the tournament.
Colorado College had a chance to tie it up quickly when sophomore defender Elizabeth Wright played a free kick in the 17th minute that was stopped by Memphis GK Elise Kuhar-Pitters.
Later in the half, CC junior Emily Beans fired a shot in the 38th minute that was blocked and rebounded by reigning NSCAA National Player of the Week Brittney Lyman and blocked again by the Memphis backs. Freshman Brennan O'Connell gathered the rebound and fired a second shot that was deflected out of play. Wright played the ball off the corner kick, but could not convert as Kuhar-Pitters made her third save of the match. She ended with a season-high seven saves for the match and 14th career shutout.
Colorado College outshot Memphis, 15-10, with three apiece from Beans and Kelly LaVoie.
"Elise made big saves when she needed to and her performance tonight deserves to break a record," Memphis head coach Brooks Monaghan said. "Both teams made great shots and they really made us make the saves."
Hildebrandt scored on a header off a corner kick by C-USA Offensive Player of the Year Ashley Berra, who registered her team-leading eighth assist of the season and third of the tournament.
Colorado College had a chance to tie it up quickly when sophomore defender Elizabeth Wright played a free kick in the 17th minute that was stopped by Memphis GK Elise Kuhar-Pitters.
Later in the half, CC junior Emily Beans fired a shot in the 38th minute that was blocked and rebounded by reigning NSCAA National Player of the Week Brittney Lyman and blocked again by the Memphis backs. Freshman Brennan O'Connell gathered the rebound and fired a second shot that was deflected out of play. Wright played the ball off the corner kick, but could not convert as Kuhar-Pitters made her third save of the match. She ended with a season-high seven saves for the match and 14th career shutout.
Colorado College outshot Memphis, 15-10, with three apiece from Beans and Kelly LaVoie.
"Elise made big saves when she needed to and her performance tonight deserves to break a record," Memphis head coach Brooks Monaghan said. "Both teams made great shots and they really made us make the saves."