Bracket

ORANGE BEACH, Ala. – The Lindsey Wilson women's soccer team used a 3-0 shutout performance to defeat Cumberland (Tenn.) in the NAIA National Championship Quarterfinals on a foggy Wednesday night at the Orange Beach Sportsplex.

The sixth-seeded Blue Raiders (16-3-3) now face 15th-seeded Northwood (Fla.) in the semifinals on Friday afternoon.

Scoring chances came early and often for Lindsey Wilson as the Blue Raiders put together another strong performance to top the Bulldogs (17-4-1) for the third time this season.

In the fifth minute, Emilia Jonsson threaded a ball through the Cumberland defense to Amanda Kander. Cumberland goalkeeper Lindsay Kitson charged toward Kander as she sent a shot just over Kitson that hit the post and bounce away for a Bulldog clearance.

Bettina Brulhart tested Kitson again in the 15th minute as she sent a free kick towards goal that the keeper was forced to save.

The offensive attack finally broke through the Bulldog defense in the 26th minute.

Elizabet Madjarac passed a ball to Anna Vig on the left side. Vig moved the ball from her left to right foot and rifled a shot into the left hand side of the net past a diving Kitson for the 1-0 lead.

Kander saw a shot go just over the crossbar in the 31st minute and Lyana Perez had her left-footed attempt saved in the 38th minute.

In the 41st minute, Ayaki Shinada dribbled the ball down into the left corner. She settled herself and sent a high soaring ball across the box. Kitson left her line in an attempt to punch the ball away, but it sailed over her hands allowing Fabienne Rochaix to head the ball to herself and finish with her left foot into the open net for the 2-0 lead just before the half.

In the first 45 minutes of play, Lindsey Wilson recorded 12 shots with six on target, while the Blue Raider defense put forth a stellar performance, holding the Bulldogs without a shot.

Lindsey Wilson nearly added a third goal in the 58th minute after a cross was sent in from Vig, but the ball rolled inches in front of Shinada before she could put it away.

Shinada would get another chance at a goal minutes later.

Vig dribbled down into the left-hand side of the box where she was taken down from behind, being awarded a penalty in the 63rd minute.

As Shinada stepped to the spot, Kitson guessed left, Shinada went right, and put Lindsey Wilson up 3-0.

The Blue Raider defense continued to dominate, allowing their first shot of the game in the 71st minute that goalkeeper Johanna Henriksson easily saved.

As the final whistle blew, Lindsey Wilson had recorded 19 shots with nine on target compared to just two shots, both on target by the Bulldogs.

The Blue Raiders now face Northwood in the NAIA National Championship Semifinals on Friday at 2:30 p.m. CT. The Seahawks defeated the 10th-seeded Martin Methodist (Tenn.) RedHawks earlier in the day.

It marks the third-consecutive season the women's soccer program has advanced to the national semifinals.

Across the bracket in the other semifinal matchup, top-seed Embry-Riddle (Fla.) faces fifth-seeded Northwestern Ohio.