W-Soccer: SMU vs. UCF (C-USA Tournament)

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

SMU will face No. 20 UCF in the C-USA semifinals at 8pm Friday night in El Paso.

Both teams had impressive quarterfinal wins (SMU 3-1 over Rice, UCF 2-0 over Memphis), so this should be a good one.

The Mustangs (9-7-4) have only lost one game in the last seven, while the Golden Knights (15-4-1) have now won five straight without conceding a single goal.

Colorado College faces Tulsa in the other semifinal match.

Go Ponies!

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

Wow - Tulsa advances to the final over Colorado College on penalties 1-1 (5-4)!

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

SMU gets to HT 0-0.

The Mustangs are pretty much sitting back and taking most of it (certainly by design) - but SMU has had a couple of nice chances at the other end. The best chance of the first half was actually a 20-yard blast from Shelby Redman which was unfortunately right at the UCF keeper.

Shots: 10-1 UCF
Shots on goal: 2-1 UCF
Corners: 3-1 UCF

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

SMU falls 2-0.

After the Mustangs played fantastic defense the entire game, a UCF player found some space at the top of the 18 in the 64th minute and was able to curl a beautiful shot into the top far corner.

SMU fought back - the best chance coming with 1:35 remaining when a Kenzie Scovill header on a cross from Shelby Redman trickled just wide (by maybe a foot!).

UCF got a second in the final minute when SMU had 10 players pressing forward.

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

Well, the sun did come up today amazingly. SMU played great, but you have to hand it to UCF. I had dreams about that late Scovill header finding the back of the net...

SMU release (with a CP interview):

http://www.smumustangs.com/sports/w-soccer/recaps/110312aab.html

Thanks for a great season!

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

UCF is the 2012 C-USA Champion after defeating Tulsa 2-0 today. The Knights get the C-USA automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament and they now have seven straight shutouts.

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

Interesting note on the 2012 SMU season - of our eight losses, four were to teams winning their conference today (UCF/C-USA, Virginia/ACC, Baylor/Big 12, SDSU/Mountain West).

Two of the remaining four losses were to teams in their conference final today as well (Tulsa/C-USA, New Mexico/Mountain West).

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

Rikki Clarke and Taylor Robinson made the All-Tournament team!

http://www.conferenceusa.com/sports/w-soccer/spec-rel/110412aac.html

2012 C-USA Women's Soccer All-Tournament Team
Nicolette Radovcic, UCF (Most Valuable Offensive Player)
Marissa Diggs, UCF (Most Valuable Defensive Player)
Ashley Nicol, UCF
Kristina Trujic, UCF
Claire Hulcer, Tulsa
Becky Handley, Tulsa
Rachel Garcia, Tulsa
Sierra Keeler, Colorado College
Rachel Herron, Colorado College
Rikki Clarke, SMU
Taylor Robinson, SMU

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

In the final NSCAA rankings this week, we did get votes in the Central Region - so I guess we ended up No. 11.

1. Baylor
2. UCF
3. West Virginia
4. Texas Tech
5. Colorado College
6. Stephen F. Austin
7. Rice
8. Tulsa
9. Kansas
10. Oklahoma State
Also receiving votes: SMU