Cal Lutheran women's soccer team edges Tufts on PKs, advances to national title game

The Cal Lutheran University women’s soccer team has found its way to the final.

Despite losing three starters in Thursday’s national semifinal, the Regals earned the right to play for the NCAA Division III national championship on Saturday in Salem, Virginia.

“In my 23-plus years of coaching,” CLU coach Frank Marino said, “I’ve never seen a team with more grit.”

CLU advanced 4-3 on penalty kicks after a 1-1 tie with Tufts University of Massachusetts in the national semifinal Thursday afternoon at Roanoke (Va.) College.

Eden Quiroz, Ally Fisicaro, Ashley Escamilla and Hana Sawan converted penalty kicks and goalkeeper Kelsey Slaugh made the decisive save as the Regals advanced by the same scoreline for the second straight round.

“We’ve been down a number of times and we’ve found ways to win games,” Marino said. “At this stage of the tournament, any way you can advance, you want to advance.”

The first SCIAC team to reach the championship match of a women’s soccer season, CLU (18-1-6) will face Washington University (17-1-4) of St. Louis, Missouri, on Saturday. Kickoff is 9 a.m.

Junior Avery West gave CLU a 1-0 lead in the 18th minute, slotting home a loose ball from a corner.

“Just being in the right place at the right time was necessary,” West said. “It felt great.”

Despite having the upper hand, the Regals couldn’t find a second goal and Tufts equalized with 10 minutes to play on Elsi Aires’ free kick just outside the CLU penalty area.

By then, CLU had lost the services of several starters, including Buena High graduate Savana Durr, and Tufts was threatening to find a winner.

Marino shifted midfielder Eden Quiroz, who had scored vital goals in each of the three previous games, into central defense, where the Newbury Park High graduate had played at the University of San Diego.

“We were losing players, I felt like they were going to score,” Marino said. “We needed our best and most experience player to play center back to hold on and get us to overtime. Eden settled the game and really helped secure the game.”

After being outplayed in the first overtime, Marino put on attacking substitutes Ryan Kaneko and Maya Blodgett, who changed the momentum.

Isabella Veljacic hit the underside of the crossbar and Kaneko cut inside, spinning a potential winner just wide.

“We were creating unbelievable chances in that period,” Marino said. “It kind of gave us momentum (going into PKs).”

Marino wasn’t sure Friday whether any of the injured starters would be able to return for the final.

“We don’t know yet,” Marino said. “We’ll know more in the next four, five hours.”

Joe Curley is a staff writer for The Star. He can be reached at joe.curley@vcstar.com. For more coverage, follow @vcsjoecurley on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: CLU women's soccer edges Tufts on PKs,advances to national final