November 21, 2005

Chicago to Compete in NCAA Division III Semifinals

CHICAGO -- The University of Chicago women's soccer team (18-2-2) will face Messiah College (20-0-1) in the NCAA Division III Championship semifinals Friday, Nov. 25 at 1:30 p.m. (ET) in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Chicago earned its third trip to the national semifinals with a 1-0 overtime victory over the University of Puget Sound this past Saturday at Stagg Field. That match came one day after the Maroons defeated defending national champion Wheaton (Ill.) College 2-1 in the round of 16.

In the opening two rounds of the tournament, the Maroons defeated Aurora University 4-0 on Nov. 12 and blanked Loras College 3-0 a day later.

Chicago, which is making its eighth postseason appearance under Head Coach Amy Reifert, reached the national championship match in 2003 when it dropped a 2-1 overtime decision to the State University of New York at Oneonta. Chicago reached the national semifinals in its first-ever postseason appearance in 1996.

In Friday's other contest, the College of New Jersey (21-0) takes on Tufts University (15-3-2) at 11:00 a.m. (ET). Friday's winners will play for the 2005 national championship Saturday at 1:00 p.m. (ET).

Official NCAA Division III Championship Site