The NCAA News - News and Features

The NCAA News -- December 6, 1999

Corner kick proves cornerstone of Tritons' 1-0 soccer triumph

UC San Diego took home its fifth championship title in 14 appearances in the Division III Women's Soccer Championship November 21, defeating defending champion Macalester, 1-0, at Williams.

The Tritons set a record with their 14 consecutive appearances. UC San Diego is the only team to have made the tournament bracket every year since the event's inception in 1986.

The Tritons' Erika Alfredson, a sophomore, scored the game-winning goal in the second half off of Emma Borst's corner kick. Borst's kick curved toward Macalester goalkeeper Anna Bacho's near post, then ricocheted off Bacho's hand, off the crossbar and onto the ground, where Alfredson got enough of a touch to knock the ball over the goal line.

Alfredson, a midfielder/defender, played down her game-deciding goal.

"That's my job, to stay on the keeper and pick bouncing balls in the box, and twice it happened," Alfredson said. "We were fortunate."

Alfredson also had the only goal in UC San Diego's semifinal decision over the College of New Jersey. That goal also came off a corner kick from Borst.

The championship match was controlled by defensive play. Neither team attempted more than a handful of shots. Bacho, a senior, posted two saves against the Tritons' four shots. Jennifer Hetland was flawless in goal for UC San Diego, saving all of the Scots' four shots.

Tritons head coach Brian McManus explained his team's preparation for the tournament.

"At the beginning of the year, we set ourselves a target. We set ourselves a season and a preseason," he said. "The preseason was 18 games long, and the season was five games, and we wanted to make it a five-game season."

"It was difficult (to make it this far) because everybody was gunning for us," said John Leaney, Macalester's head coach.

Leaney said his team had to overcome abundant adversity early on. Macalester lost the national player of the year and had seven seniors returning from studying abroad with no summer conditioning. "We just looked at it and said we're just going to do the best that we can," he said. "It's unbelievable how far we've come. And as disappointed as they are now, it's incredible that we actually got this far ... For us to come this far and only be out one goal, I'm really proud of them."

Macalester advanced to the championship match by defeating host Williams, 1-0, in the semifinals. The game was evenly fought until the final three minutes. Macalester's Kate Ryan-Reiling converted a rebound for the lone tally.

Alfredson and Hetland were joined on the all-tournament team by fellow Tritons defender Julia Cuder and midfielder/defender Janine Harispe. Macalester placed three players on the all-tournament team with Ryan-Reiling and defenders Onie Elsberry and Carly Androff. Williams' Ann Brophy, Meghan Cavanaugh and Christina Ciafone also were selected along with College of New Jersey's Christine Grande and Vanessa Wong. Alfredson was named the tournament's most outstanding offensive player, while teammate Cuder took home the tournament's defensive honors.

SEMIFINALS

Macalester 0 1 -- 1

Williams 0 0 -- 0

Second half: M -- Kate Ryan-Reiling (unassisted), 87:00.

Shots: Macalester 6, Williams 1. Goalkeeper saves: Macalester (Anna Bacho) 1; Williams (Rebecca Brooks) 5. Corner kicks: Macalester 10, Williams 7. Fouls: Macalester 8, Williams 8.

UC San Diego 1 0 -- 1

Col. of New Jersey 0 0 -- 0

First half: UCSD -- Erika Alfredson (Emma Borst), 19:12.

Shots: UC San Diego 8, Col. of New Jersey 10. Goalkeeper saves: UC San Diego (Jennifer Hetland) 10; Col. of New Jersey (Vicky Nusse) 7. Corner kicks: UC San Diego 4, Col. of New Jersey 6. Fouls: UC San Diego 1, Col. of New Jersey 5.

CHAMPIONSHIP

Macalester 0 0 -- 0

UC San Diego 0 1 -- 1

Second half: UCSD -- Erika Alfredson (Emma Borst), 60:03.

Shots: Macalester 4, UC San Diego 3. Goalkeeper saves: Macalester (Anna Bacho) 2; UC San Diego (Jennifer Hetland) 4. Corner kicks: Macalester 4, UC San Diego 5. Fouls: Macalester 12, UC San Diego 10.