The University of Redlands women's soccer team competed in the first round of the NCAA Division III Championships on Saturday, November 15, as the Bulldogs battled it out with the No. 17 Hardin-Simmons University (TX) Cowgirls on the campus of Trinity University (TX). After a hard-fought match, the Bulldogs stunned the favored Cowgirls by defeating them, 2-1, to advance to the second round of the NCAA tournament.

The Bulldogs got the ball rolling in the 10th minute by blasting off the first shot of the game, compliments of junior forward Savannah Laursen (Boise, ID). Junior Summer Norquist (Boise, ID) followed Laursen's lead by uncorking two shots in the 20th and 21st minute. Laursen continued to cart a heavy foot in the first stanza with another attempt, followed by a laser by junior forward Jen Franklin (Shoreline, WA).

Despite the first five shots being off target, the Bulldogs remained active with their offense and converted in the 44th minute to take a 1-0 lead. Sophomore midfielder McKenzie Oliger (Seattle, WA) found the back of the net after Laursen located her off a set piece from a corner kick.

The defensive unit of sophomore Faith Campbell (Bainbridge Island, WA), junior midfielder Cassie Lively (Redmond, WA), and Norquist acted as a brick wall for the Bulldogs, allowing the Cowgirls to fire off only three shots in the first stanza.

Carrying over a small lead into the final 45 minutes of action, the Bulldogs remained true to their offensive approach with great persistence and pressure.

After a quality shot by Laursen in the 51st minute, the Bulldogs' offensive efforts paid off moments later, as Franklin surveyed a Cowgirl defensive unit that was playing too far up and wisely took advantage. After gathering a pass with one touch from Norquist, Franklin lofted a shot over the shallow defense to net the second score for the Bulldogs, pushing the lead to 2-0.

Hardin-Simmons attempted to cut the deficit by firing off four shots in a five-minute period, but junior goalkeeper Lexi Felix (Kailua, HI) handled them with ease, hauling in three saves while one shot sailed wide.

Redlands looked to expand their lead during the latter half of the second period with two shots from Norquist and a blast from junior defender Sam Keary (Mission Viejo, CA).

After the Cowgirls cut the deficit in half by notching a score off an own goal, they tried four more times to notch a score, but Felix and the Bulldog backfield were too strong to penetrate, as Felix saved two shots and two shots were blocked.

At the end of 90 minutes, the Bulldogs grabbed the 2-1 victory over Hardin-Simmons and advance to the second round of the NCAA Championships.

After the contest, Head Coach Suzette Soboti and Franklin talked about the victory. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3FrYrPTXlQ&feature=youtu.be.

The Bulldogs (12-6-3) now face off against the No. 3 Trinity Tigers (21-0-1) in the second round at 3 p.m. PST on Sunday, November 16. Live streaming will be available at http://portal.stretchinternet.com/trinitytigers/.