Thursday, November 2, 2017

PORTLAND, Ore. – For the second time in a week, No. 17 Concordia will meet No. 12 Western Washington with a GNAC title on the line.

Concordia earned its 12th-straight victory with a 3-0 win over Northwest Nazarene in the semifinals of the 2017 GNAC Women’s Soccer Championships Thursday night at Tuominen Yard.

Concordia’s win sets up a must-see affair against No. 12 Western Washington, as the league’s best two defenses collide in the GNAC Championships’ final at 1 p.m. this Saturday.

Cavaliers’ forward Kyra Radcliffe opened the scoring with a screamer from 23 yards out, tucking her effort into the top corner of Northwest Nazarene’s net. Maddie Misi doubled Concordia’s advantage with 20 minutes left in the contest, beating NNU goalkeeper Daniele Ortiz to her near post for a 2-0 lead. 

Recording Concordia’s third goal of the match, forward Quinn Williams sealed the contest late when her free kick from 19 yards out caught a deflection that nestled into NNU’s far post.

The win gave Concordia its 11th shutout of the season, pushing its record to 15-2-1. The Cavaliers currently ride a 13-game win streak that stretches back to its 2-0 win over Montana State Billings on Sept. 21.

Radcliffe netted her sixth goal of the season in stunning fashion. With almost 17 minutes played, the junior laced a 22-yard effort that found the upper-right corner of the Nighthawks goal.

Trading possession frequently throughout the half, neither team was able to dominate the ball during the period. The Cavaliers, who are second in the league with 313 shots, were limited to just five in the first half.

The Nighthawks were unable to fire a shot on goal, as the visitors were allowed just three attempts. Their best first-half opportunity came before halftime when defender Mabinty Kanu laced a 12-yard volley that flew wide.

Northwest Nazarene nearly found the equalizer 13 minutes into the second stanza. Nighthawks’ midfielder Brooke Felzien whipped in a right-footed cross that was palmed away by Concordia goalkeeper Anna Miller. The deflection was re-directed straight to NNU defender Cassandra Clarke, who’s brief reaction saw her header go wide.

Misi doubled the Cavaliers’ advantage with a little more than 20 minutes left in regulation. Following a CU throw in, defender Karlie Hurley looped in a cross that found the head of Misi for her fourth goal this campaign.

Williams found the scoresheet in the 80th minute with her seventh goal of the season. Her free-kick attempt from 19 yards out deflected high off the NNU wall, leaving Ortiz no chance of a save.

With time winding down, Nighthawks midfielder Ashley Cook-Cox was denied by Miller, as her curling effort to the near post was pushed away for a corner kick.

Despite being outshot 13-12, Concordia edged the Nighthawks in the shots-on-goal category, 6-5. Miller recorded her ninth shutout of the season. Northwest Nazarene ends the year with its best single-season finish in program history at 11-7.