Matchup:
NCAA Tournament National Semifinal
No 8 Rollins (19-2) vs. No. 7 Colorado Mines (16-1-6)
When:
Thursday, December 4, 2014 – 8:00 p.m.
Where:
Owsley B. Frazier Stadium – Louisville, Ky.
The Tars advanced to the National Semifinal for the first time
in the program's history and will face Colorado Mines. Fans that
can't make it to the game can watch live on NCAA.com
ROLLINS AT A GLANCE: In the Quarterfinal, down
a score in the first half, eighth-ranked Rollins fought back with a
pair of unanswered goals to defeat Columbus State, 2-1, last
Sunday. Before this year, Rollins had never gotten out of the third
round.
With the win, the Tars improved to 19-2, continuing to extend
what was already a team record for wins in a season. Rollins
outshot the Lady Cougars, 14-7, for the game, including 6-1 in the
second half.
Emma
Jones and Brenna
McKee both scored in the victory while Samantha
Collin and Paxton
Sickler tallied assists. Sickler, McKee and sophomore Emma
Bloom each took a game high three shots.
In goal, Mary
Spring played the full 90 minutes for Rollins, finishing with
three saves.
As a team, the Tars are tops in the country in assists per game
(3.33/game), points per game (9.81/game) and in total assists (70)
and are secondin Division II in scoring offense, averaging 3.24
goals per match.
Defensively, led by 2014 SSC Defensive Player of the Year Azure
Dorsey, Rollins was best in the conference during the regular
season, currently allowing just 0.62 goals per game.
Individually, McKee, Sickler and sophomore Mora
Johnson are tied for the team high in goals with 14 each while
McKee and Sickler are also tied for the team lead in assists, both
with 14 entering Thursday's National Semifinal
Spring has started all 21 games in goal this season, posting a
goals against average of 0.68 with 77 saves.
Winners of 12 in a row, the Sunshine State Conference regular
season runners-up and tournament champs are 7-2 against the top-25
this season.
Coach Alicia
Schuck is in her fourth year at the helm of the women's soccer
program, holding a record of 58-14-4. Since taking over in 2011,
she has led the Tars to a berth in the NCAA tournament four
straight seasons and has been named both the NSCAA South Region
Coach of the Year and SSC Coach of the Year.
COLORADO MINES AT A GLANCE: Mines advanced to
the Final Four for the first time with a 4-3 shootout win over Cal
State Stanislaus on Nov. 23 in Golden.
The penalty kick triumph was the third in four games for the
Orediggers, who became the first varsity athletic program in school
history to reach the national semifinals.
As she did in the RMAC Tournament final against then-No. 13 MSU
Denver on Nov. 9 and the regional championship versus No. 23 Texas
A&M-Commerce on Nov. 21, senior Kenzie King delivered the
clinching score on the team's fifth attempt. Senior Kendra Bulawa,
freshman Emily Garnier and sophomore Cari Smith preceded King with
successful tries.
Junior Jayln Yates stopped the first shootout attempt and tied
her season-high with seven saves in the nil-nil draw to increase
her Mines single-season shutouts record to 17. Yates ranks No. 7 in
the national archives with a conference-best 40 shutouts in 68
starts.
The Orediggers lead Division II in goals against average (.245),
save percentage (.926), shutouts (18) and shutout percentage
(.783).
Offensively, 17 different players have scored at least one goal
for Mines this season, led be Laya Rybici who has five scores to go
along with a team second best, four assists. Nicho Cusack and Anna
Deleray each have three scores while Garnier leads the team with
four assists.
The program's all-time winningest coach, Kevin Fickes carries an
overall record of 65-13-11 (.792) at the helm, including 43-9-4
(.804) in conference play, 5-1-3 in the NCAA tournament and 10-5-5
against the NSCAA top-25. Mines clinched the RMAC regular season
for the initial time in 2013 with an unblemished 14-0 record, and
became the first team to win three straight tournament
championships, defeating Regis and No. 24 Fort Lewis in the
postseason in November.
SERIES: Thursday's meeting is the first ever
between the two programs.
NEXT UP FOR ROLLINS: The winner will advance to
the NCAA National Final on Satuday, December 6 in Louisville, Ky.
Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. ET.
