ORANGE BEACH, Ala. – The No. 8-seeded Raven Women's Soccer team take on the No. 1-seeded Spring Arbor (Mich.) University Cougars on Wednesday in a rematch of the 2017 NAIA National Championship Match.
The Match Up: (8) Benedictine College (20-2-1) vs. (1) Spring Arbor (Mich.) University (19-1-2) | 1:30 p.m. | Orange Beach Sportsplex
Video/TV: NAIAnetwork - www.NAIAnetwork.com (PPV cost associated with viewing per game or by tournament)
Live Stats: (Courtesy of Dakstats): http://bit.ly/2N7e6ND
PREGAME: For the fourth time in the since 2014, the Ravens will take on the Cougars as they meeting up in the Quarterfinal round of this year's tournament. ... The series currently stands at 1-1-1 with Benedictine's win coming at the BC Soccer Complex 2-1 in extra time to start off the 2015 season. That match came on the heels of the Ravens upset of the Cougars in the Second Round of the 2014 NAIA National Championship when the two schools played to a 1-1 draw before Benedictine won the shootout over Spring Arbor 3-1. ... Spring Arbor advanced to the Quarterfinals with a 2-0 win over Mobile (Ala.) on Monday.
ABOUT BENEDICTINE: With her equalizer on Monday night, Anna Romano has now scored five goals in eight matches at the Orange Beach Sportsplex. She scored a goal in matches against William Carey (Miss.) and Mobile in last year's Championship and scored two goals against Mobile during the 2016 championship. ... The game-winning goal by Natalie Duque was her first game-winning goal of the season and fourth overall. Her dramatic effort was not her first in Orange Beach, she knocked in the clincher in last year's Quarterfinal shootout with Martin Methodist (Tenn.). ... Olivia Meyers was credited with an assist on Duque's game-winner extending her program record for single-season assists with 22. She now has 51 career assists at Benedictine. ... Of the Ravens current roster, 10 players started or came off the bench as a reserve in last year's National Championship Match against Spring Arbor.
ABOUT SPRING ARBOR: The Cougars are led by Bethany Balcer. The reigning NAIA Women's Soccer Player of the Year, Balcer has scored 14 goals in 15 career matches at the Orange Beach Sportsplex. ... She scored both goals against Benedictine in the National Championship last season. ... The Cougars are ranked first in the NAIA in total shutouts (16) and are ranked second in shutouts per game (0.76). ... Spring Arbor is making their 10th appearance in the National Championship and earned their berth after winning the Crossroads League Tournament Championship. They have a 18-1-1 overall record in the National Championship and have won two of the last three NAIA National Championships while making three straight National Championship Match appearances. ... Seven players who played on Monday for Spring Arbor played against Benedictine in last year's title match.
UP NEXT: The winner of the Quarterfinal will play the first Semifinal Match at Noon on Friday against the winner of the Northwest (Wash.) and Kaiser (Fla.) which opens up Quarterfinal Round play at 11 a.m. Wednesday.
