HIGH FIVE INTO SECOND ROUND

Saturday, November 21

Riverside

1 p.m.

California Baptist University

Grand View University

HIGH FIVE INTO SECOND ROUND

11/22/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer

RIVERSIDE, Calif. --- At the start of the 2009 season, California Baptist University Head Coach Kristen St. Clair raved about the depth of this year's team.

Now, in the season's final weeks, that depth has taken center stage.

Five different players scored, and third-seed California Baptist University completely dismantled Grand View (Iowa), 5-0, Saturday afternoon in the 2009 NAIA Women's Soccer National Championship Opening Round.

“This is a deep and flexible group,” said St. Clair, who is the first coach to take the Lancers to consecutive national tournaments. “We have had a number of players that have stepped up when we've needed them to.”

The Lancers, who were without the services of four starters, won an Opening Round game at home for the second straight year, tying a school-record for wins in a season in the process. CBU now heads to the NAIA Tournament final site in Decatur, Ala., where they will play No. 14-seed Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) in the second round Nov. 30 at 11 a.m. (PST).

“This is a tribute to the player's mentality and work this year,” said St. Clair. “They have dealt with so much adversity this year, and it has been a character refining process. It hasn't been easy, but we're better for it.”

Back in early October, the Lancers were undefeated and the No. 1-ranked team in the NAIA. Then, having already lost starting right back Kyrie Nicassio in September, they lost leading scorers Eva Solis and Kylee Nicassio in the same game. After momentarily stubbing their toe, the Lancers have rebounded nicely with wins in five of their past six games and their third five-goal game in the past five outings, three of which have been playoff games.

“We went through a rough time, but we have finally put things back together,” said Jacquelyn Witz. “There are peaks and valleys to a season. We went through our valley, and now we seem to be peaking at just the right time.”

CBU moves to 16-4-1 on the season, matching last year's school-record for wins. The Vikings, who won the Midwest Collegiate Conference Tournament as the third seed, end their season at 10-10-2.

Witz had a goal and an assist, and Joanna Idom had two more assists and now has 12 on the season, the fourth-highest single-season total in program history.

Idom and Lizzy Bendrick connected early to put the Lancers on the board in just the 15th minute. Idom played a perfect ball into the area, and all Bendrick had to do was get on the end of it and place it into the net, which she did with ease.

“The early goal not only changes the way the game is played, but it also changes things mentally,” said Witz. “We always aim to come out strong in the first 20 minutes, and we did that today.”

In the 37th minute, three Lancers got together to give CBU a two-goal advantage. Amanda Lammers played a high ball from the right side all the way to the left side. Witz was there to head back into the box to a waiting Fabiola Zanella da Silva, who tapped in her team-leading 10th goal of the season.

The Lancers, who out-shot Grand View, 11-3, in the first half, carried that two-goal lead into the locker room. Emily Evanson needed to make just two routine saves in the first half. She played the first 64 minutes, and Ashley Aranda came on to finish the Lancers' 13th shutout of the season. The Lancers out-shot the Vikings, 22-5, for the game.

“With everything we went through, we stayed united and stayed together as a team,” said da Silva. “Playing in the national tournament is always exciting, and getting that early goal helped calm the game down and made it a little easiser.”

With a two-goal lead in hand, the Lancers went right to work in the second half to put the game out of reach. Witz got that ball rolling when she headed in Idom's corner kick in the 51st minute.

Seven minutes later, Kitra Walters hammered in her second goal of the year. She carried the ball towards the area and ripped a strike from 25 yards out that sailed over the out-stretched hands of Grand View keeper Katie Zenz.

Britney Quiroz then completed the scoring in the 84th minute, taking a ball from Carly Walters and sliding it to the far post for her sixth of the season.

“We were able to build up some very dynamic scoring opportunities,” said St. Clair. “This season has been a great learning experience and has served us quite well for the challenges of a national tournament. Today was a complete performance and a well-balanced effort. The girls worked hard all week and were itching to get this tournament started. Each game could be your last at this point in the season, but this is a mentally tough team and a mature group, and that showed today.”