NCAA Division III Championships Bracket

Ohio Northern NCAA First-, Second-Round Web Site

Illinois Wesleyan First-, Second Round Game Notes

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - In its fourth straight NCAA Division III tournament appearance, the Illinois Wesleyan women's soccer team will face Ithaca College in a first round match to be played at 1:30 p.m. (ET) Saturday (Nov. 12) on the campus of Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio.

In the first Saturday match at 11 a.m. (ET), No. 11-ranked Ohio Northern (18-2-2) will square off against Scranton (13-3-3). The winning teams from Saturday's games will meet the next day at 1 p.m. (ET).


The Titans have an overall record of 2-3-2 in four previous NCAA Division III tournaments.
In 2010 in Granville, Ohio, Illinois Wesleyan defeated Washington & Jefferson, 3-0, before losing to the host school Denison by a 2-0 score.
In the 2009 NCAA tournament the Titans earned their first-ever playoff win with a 1-0 overtime decision over Carroll before losing in overtime, 1-0 to Washington U.
In 2008, Illinois Wesleyan tied Rhodes, 0-0, but advanced in a 4-3 shootout advantage. In the second round IWU tied Washington U., 0-0, and were outscored, 3-1, in penalty kicks.
In the 2005 NCAA tournament, the Titans lost a 1-0 first round decision at Loras.

ITHACA COLLEGE (N.Y.) - Women's Soccer Web Site
Ithaca is an offensive-oriented team and has outscored opponents 47-19 this fall. The Bombers' junior forward Rachael Palladino was named the "Offensive Player of the Year" and sophomore teammate Anna Gray was chosen as "Defensive Player of the Year" in the Empire 8 Conference. Palladino was a first team all-conference selection for the third time and led the conference with 12 goals and seven assists for 31 points. Junior midfielder Julie Winn of the Bombers repeated as a first-team choice and enters postseason play with eight goals and eight assists for 24 points.
Junior Becca Salant has started every game in goal, making 101 saves while recording four solo shutouts.
The Bombers are making their 22nd appearance in the NCAA playoffs; no school has made more (William Smith has also made 22). The last 15 playoff bids have come under head coach Mindy Quigg. Ithaca is 27-16-8 in NCAA playoff competition (five of the eight ties resulted in the Bombers advancing on penalty kicks; in the other three, Ithaca was eliminated in penalty kicks). The program's four straight trips to the NCAA semifinals from 1988 through 1991 (a streak matched by two other teams) was highlighted by consecutive national titles in 1990 and 1991. Last year Ithaca reached the regional final, beating Springfield 1-0 before losing 3-0 to New Jersey.

UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON (Pa.) - Women's Soccer Web Site
The Royals (13-3-3) are making their second straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament and 13th overall. Scranton earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament with their 2-0 victory over Catholic University in the Landmark Conference championship on Nov. 5, getting goals from sophomore forward Rebecca Hextall and junior midfielder Sarah Gibbons in the victory.
Sophomore Samantha Russo leads Scranton with 21 points on eight goals with five assists while Gibbons also has eight goals with two assists. Hextall had contributed seven goals with an assist and junior Sydney Parker has two goals with eight assists for 12 points.
Sophomore Kelsy McAnelly has nine shutouts and has made 29 saves in 19 games. She has allowed just 11 goals for a 0.58 goals against average.
Colleen Murphy has a 53-20-6 record in her fourth year as head coach at her alma mater. She was a four-time all-Freedom Conference selection while at Scranton as a player from 2000 to 2003.

OHIO NORTHERN UNIVERSITY - Women's Soccer Web Site
Ohio Northern earned the Ohio Athletic Conference regular season title after going 9-0-0 during the year. The Polar Bears lost 1-0 to John Carroll in the OAC tournament semifinals.
Ohio Northern returns nine starters, four All-Ohio Athletic Conference selections and sophomore Sami Atkinson, who was the OAC "Forward of the Year" as a freshman. This fall, Atkinson has 12 goals and seven assists for 29 points to lead the team.
Freshman midfielder Kristina Klusek has 11 goals and five assists for 27 points and senior Alyssa Merrick has contributed seven goals and 13 assists for 27 points.
Junior goalkeeper Erin Waehner has seven shutouts and has a 0.74 goals-against average, allowing 13 goals in 19 matches.
Head coach Mark Batman has an eight-year record of 107-41-13.