Carnegie Mellon University
November 23, 2019

No. 25 Tartans Advance To NCAA Semifinals

By Andrea James

Andrea James

The 25th-ranked Carnegie Mellon University women's soccer team is going to the semifinals of the 2019 NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Championship after winning a penalty kick shootout against 19th-ranked University of St. Thomas, 6-5, on Saturday, Nov. 23 on the campus of Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois. The Tartans advance past the sectional final for the first time in school history and become the first women's team in Carnegie Mellon history to reach the semifinals of an NCAA tournament.

After playing 110 minutes to a scoreless draw a penalty shootout insued with the best of five scenerio sitting tied at 4-4 after St. Thomas missed their fifth shot wide to force sudden death. Sophomore Hannah Anderson connected on her shot, as did the Tommies kicker to make it 5-5. Freshman Alex Adams then calmly finished her shot to give the Tartans the lead again at 6-5. Junior Carolyn Botz, who was inserted for the penalty shootout and nearly made two saves on the earlier shots, made the save sending the Tartans celebrating and into the final four.

Junior Taylor Cammarata got off the first shot of the game with two minutes and 57 seconds gone by but Sarah Pasternak was able to stop it with a save for St. Thomas.

Senior Andrea Sipos made two of her 11 saves in the 10th and 12th minutes. The Tartans took over offensively in the 19th minute with four shots, one of which was on goal by freshman Helena Spencer with another shot by Spencer blocked inside the box.

Sipos made another save for the Tartans two minutes later before senior Emery Noll put a shot on goal in the 32nd minute.

The Tartans were under pressure in the final five minutes recording a team save and another save by Sipos with 2:35 to go in the half. A shot by sophomore Stephanie Ramsay with 12 seconds left in the half just sailed high.

Sipos was credited with five saves in the second half but none of them were threatening opportunities while the Tartans put one shot on goal for the frame.

In the first overtime period, Adams had a shot blocked at the top of the box in the 98th minute while Sipos made a simple save in the second minute of the period.

St. Thomas had an opportunity in the 104th minute but Alexa Oldenkamp's shot was lofted at Sipos for an easy grab.

A shot by senior Tara Durstewitz in the final seconds of the second overtime was high of the goal and ended extra time in a 0-0 draw.

The Tartans will face the winner of No. 1 Messiah College and No. 24 Williams College at 11 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 6 in Greensboro, North Carolina.