Nov. 11, 2007

Box Score

Allendale, Mich. - Not many soccer teams can say they are as familiar with an opponent as Mercyhurst and Grand Valley State are. The GLIAC schools played in the regular season, battled for the conference tournament championship, and then met for a third time Sunday in the second round of the NCAA Division II Playoffs. In the end, the familiarity made for a classic playoff contest that took a shootout to decide.

After playing to a 1-1 tie through regulation and two overtimes, Grand Valley State goalkeeper Kristina Nasturzio made a diving save on the first Mercyhurst shot in the shootout and Grand Valley went on to win the shootout 3-0. The game goes down officially as a 1-1 tie.

Grand Valley State entered the contest as a decided favorite, with a 19-0-0 record and the No. 1 ranking in the NSCAA Coaches Poll. Both of the first two contests ended with 4-0 Grand Valley victories, but the Mercyhurst coaching staff used a tactical adjustment to keep Grand Valley from controlling the contest a third time.

The Lakers employed a high-pressure 4-3-3 system, something Mercyhurst had used sparingly during the year, designed to attack the Grand Valley defense and force the action. The approach helped to keep the Grand Valley defense on its heels and minimize the opportunities for the highest scoring offense in Division II.

Mercyhurst and Grand Valley State played an even first half. Each squad had one strong opportunity to score and Grand Valley converted, while the Lakers were unable to. In the 13th minute of play, Grand Valley's Ashley Elsass took a pass from Irie Dennis and beat Mercyhurst goalkeeper Rebecca Heintzman.

Mercyhurst had its opportunity later in the half when Christine Rehnert tracked down a pass lobbed over the defense and was pulled down in the box by Grand Valley's Emily Berner, resulting in a penalty kick. Adrienne Sluga, who scored on her only other penalty kick attempt of the season, drilled the shot but Grand Valley keeper Kristina Nasturzio dove to her left and deflected the ball away. Jessie Roberts picked up the loose ball and fired it back at the Grand Valley net, but Nasturzio saved it again.

Christine Rehnert finally tied the game with speed and hustle. She ran down a long pass, outran one Grand Valley State defender and dribbled around another. With a Grand Valley defender on her hip and Nasturzio charging out of the box, Rehnert lofted a shot over the keeper and into the back of the net to tie the contest.

Both teams had chances as regulation wound down and in the two overtime periods, but it took the shootout to determine the winner.

Mercyhurst ends the season with a record of 15-4-3 and Grand Valley State moves on to the third round of the NCAA Playoffs with a 19-0-1 mark.