NAIA Women’s Soccer Opening Round Preview

BELLEVUE, Neb. - The 17^th-ranked Bellevue University women's soccer team will travel to Irvine, Calif. for an NAIA Women's Soccer National Championship Opening Round match-up with 25^th-ranked Concordia University on Saturday, Nov. 22. Game time is set for 3:00 p.m. (1:00 p.m. PST).

The Bruins (16-1-0/6-0-0 MCAC) have won 11 straight matches, including a thorough 4-0 victory over Oklahoma Wesleyan University in the Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference championship last Friday. It was the fifth year in a row that Bellevue defeated Oklahoma Wesleyan for the title and the sixth-straight year that the Bruins won the MCAC Tournament.

The Eagles (11-7-1/5-4-1 GSAC) have dropped five-straight, including their first round match  in the Golden State Athletic Conference Tournament back on Nov. 4. For its part, Concordia did enough throughout the season to claim one of the NAIA's seven at-large bids.

The Series: This will be the first meeting all-time between the two schools.

Tournament: Bellevue is making its fifth-straight appearance in the tournament and fifth overall. To date, the Bruins have posted a record of 0-3-1 in their four prior appearances. For Concordia, the trip to the tournament marks the third in program history with the others coming in 2011 and 2012. Concordia owns a 2-1-1 record in NAIA Tournament play, making it as far as the quarterfinals last season.

The tournament field consists of 32 teams. This year's 32 teams include 24 automatic qualifiers - awarded to conference, association of independent institutions, and unaffiliated group tournament and regular-season champions - and seven at-large bids.

The seven at-large teams were selected based on the final NAIA Women's Soccer Modified Ratings Percentage Index (MRPI), released on Sunday, Nov. 16. The MRPI consists of the team's modified winning percentage, their opponents' winning percentage and the cumulative ratings points from the NAIA Women's Soccer Coaches' Top 25 Poll.

Bellevue Game Notes:

• MCAC Offensive Player of the Year Mercy Darkoah (Sheffield, England) ranks nationally in eight offensive categories: 8^th in goals per game (1.18) and points per game (2.76), ninth in total points (47), 10^th in total goals (20), 16^th in game-winning goals (5) and game-winning goals per game (0.29), 33^rd in shots per game (4.24), and 45^th in shots on goal per game (2.29).
• Junior first team all-MCAC pick Betsy Fischenich (Omaha, Neb.) ranks nationally in 10 categories: 9^th in points per game (2.65), 13^th in total points (45) and goals per game (1.06), 14^th in total goals (18), 23^rd in assists per game (0.53), 33^rd in shots on goal per game (2.47) and total assists (9), 39^th in game-winning goals (4), and 42^nd in game-winning goals per game (0.24).
• Freshman and MCAC Newcomer of the Year Laurence Rodier (Quebec, Canada) ranks 10^th nationally with a 0.52 goals against average.
• Sophomore first team all-MCAC selection Lauren Clark (Portsmouth, England) ranks 42^nd in assists per game (0.47) and 44^th in total assists (8).
• The Bruins are fifth nationally in scoring at 3.94 goals per game and rank 37^th with eight shutouts as a team.

Concordia Game Notes:

• Senior Megan Daniels ranks 16^th nationally with five game-winning goals and 27^th in game-winning goals per game with 0.26.
• Sophomore Natalie Werner is 20^th in assists (10) and 23^rd in assists per game (0.53).
• Concordia is 33^rd nationally in scoring with 49 goals for an average of 2.58 per game.
• The Eagles have 38 assists (23^rd nationally) on their 49 goals scored this season.

Players to Watch:

Bellevue –

• Sr. MF Mercy Darkoah (20 Goals, 7 Assists, 47 Points)
• Sr. F Yaritza Estrada (9 G, 7 A, 25 P)
• Jr. F Betsy Fischenich (18 G, 9 A, 45 P)
• Jr. CB Kate Petersen (2 G, 2 A, 6 P)
• So. CM Lauren Clark (6 G, 8 A, 20 P)
• So. RM Michelle Dolder (4 G, 6 A, 14 P)
• Fr. CB Kristin Hanson (1 A)
• Fr. GK Laurence Rodier (10-0-0, 0.52 GAA, .783 Save Pct., 4 Shutouts)

Concordia –

• Sr. Megan Daniels (11 Goals, 2 Assists, 24 Points)
• Sr. B Breana Ellis (1 G, 1 A, 3 P)
• Sr. F Lauren Nanez (6 G, 3 A, 15 P)
• Jr. F Alexis Garcia-Irons (8 G, 1 A, 17 P)
• So. GK Jazmin Alvarez (10-4-1, 1.14 GAA, .776 Save Pct., 2 Shutouts)
• So. Natalie Werner (5 G, 10 A, 20 P)

What's next?  The winner of this game will advance to the final site, along with 14 other teams and host Mobile (Ala.). They will take on the winner of the Cumberland (Tenn.) vs. Rio Grande (Ohio) match.