W-League Feature
Friday, November 28, 2014
The NCAA Division I Women’s Tournament reaches the quarterfinals this weekend as the remaining eight teams look for a victory and a place at the College Cup. W-League standouts are set to feature in all four contests, with three of the games set to be streamed live online.
Florida State vs. South Carolina, Friday, 2 p.m. ET
The Gamecocks advanced to the Elite Eight for the first time in program history with an upset victory against North Carolina in the last round, and now head to Tallahassee to try and continue their remarkable run. South Carolina will look to standout freshman Savannah McCaskill (5 goals, 5 assists) and Chelsea Drennan (3 goals, 7 assists), both of the Carolina Elite Cobras, to lead them offensively against a Seminoles side that has yet to concede a goal in the tournament. Florida State also took a 1-0 win against Central Florida in the Round of 16 through a goal by Kristin Grubka, and has received solid offensive production from the LA Blues’ Cheyna Williams and Jamia Fields’ and the Seattle Sounders Women’s Marta Bakowska-Mathews.
UCLA vs. Virginia, Friday, 8 p.m. ET,Pac12.com
Arguably the marquee matchup of the Elite Eight, the defending champion Bruins and Cavaliers both boast U.S. Women’s National Team members in their ranks as they meet at Drake Stadium. UCLA’s Sarah Killion, who earned W-League All-League honors for the LA Blues this past summer, has nine goals and 11 assists this fall, while Virginia’s Morgan Brian has nine goals and 13 assists. Killion’s teammate with the Blues, Makenzy Doniak, leads the Cavalier with 19 goals and 10 assists, and her matchup with the Blues’ Abby Dahlkemper and Caprice Dydasco will be a key one. For the Bruins, the Blues’ Sam Mewis has had a standout season with a team-high 16 goals and 13 assists, and she will match up with the Washington Spirit Reserves’ Emily Sonnett, who sits second in minutes played for the Cavaliers.
Stanford vs. Florida, Friday, 10 p.m. ET, Pac12.com
A rematch from an early-season non-conference clash, the Cardinal are aiming to repeat their victory against the Gators at Cagan Stadium. Stanford’s victory didn’t come easily, as Lo’eau LaBonta scored the overtime winner in a 1-0 win on September 12. The former LA Strikers forward has been in good form during the tournament, having scored in both of the Cardinal’s wins last weekend, while former LA Blues forward Chioma Ubogagu and Ottawa Fury FC midfielder Taylor Uhl will also be key figures if Stanford is to advance to its sixth College Cup berth in the past seven seasons. Florida’s Savannah Jordan, the 2013 W-League Rookie of the Year, has also performed well throughout the tournament, and now has 19 goals and eight assists this season. The Fury’s Havana Solaun has also had a strong fall and sits second on the team with eight goals and nine assists.
Texas A&M vs. Penn State, Saturday, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN3.com
The Nittany Lions head to College Station looking to claim victory against an Aggies side that has lost just once at home this season. That defeat came against fellow Elite Eight side Florida, and since then Texas A&M has won 12 of its past 13 contests. Penn State will try to end that run of form and will be led by the Colorado Pride’s Mallory Weber, who scored the winner in Penn State’s 2-1 win against Virginia Tech in the last round. Weber, who earned All-Western Conference honors this past summer, leads the Nittany Lions with eight goals and six assists this season, while former Ottawa Fury FC defender Kori Chapic has also chipped in five goals and five assists.