Women’s soccer advances in NAIA Region IV Playoffs
By: David Toelle, KWU Sports Information

Marina Crittenden scores the first goal in the sixth minute of KWU's 5-0 rout of Saint Mary in the NAIA Region IV Quarterfinals Wednesday night

Just four days after facing Saint Mary in the KCAC Post-Season Tournament Championship match, Kansas Wesleyan and the Spires faced each other for the third time this season, with the Coyotes recording a 5-0 rout on Wednesday night at Salina Stadium.

Wesleyan led 1-0 at halftime thanks to a Marina Crittenden goal in the sixth minute off of a pass from Annie Ortega.

The Coyotes turned on the offense in the second half, scoring three goals in a six minute period, and then adding a fourth in the 83rd minute to cap the scoring. Heather Muilenburg headed in a corner kick from Angela Padilla in the 63rd minute. Ortega added a goal of her own three minutes later with a big run up the left side. Danielle Johanson then followed Ortega’s goal three minutes later off a pass from Janna Macy, and Nikki Ware scored the final goal on a pass from Johanson.

Wesleyan improves to 17-2-1 overall, and has won 12 consecutive matches.

The Coyotes now face no.2 seeded Bellevue (Neb.) on Friday at 3:30 PM in Parkville, Mo., at Park University in the Region IV Semifinals. A win over Bellevue will put the Coyotes in the Regional Championship match to face the winner of the other semifinal between Park (Mo.) and the College of Saint Mary (Neb.) on Saturday at 3:00. The Region IV Champion will then advance to the NAIA National Championships held in Olathe at the College Boulevard Activity Center November 15-21.

-- KWU SI --