Lady Tigers To Play In C-USA Soccer Championship Game

-University of Memphis

Lady Tiger sophomore midfielder Lizzy Hildebrandt netted the game-winner in the 15^th minute and the U of M defense held on for its school-record 11^th shutout of the season in a 1-0 victory against Colorado College. Memphis advances to the C-USA title game for the third year in a row to defend its 2007 and 2008 titles.

C-USA Offensive Player of the Year Ashley Berra recorded her team-leading eighth assist off a corner kick in the 15^th minute as Hildebrandt scored her first goal since Sept. 13^th. Hildebrandt headed the ball just past the finger tips of Colorado College goalkeeper Caitlin Hulyo. Berra forced the corner kick after firing a shot that was deflected by Hulyo.

Colorado College had a free kick in the 17^th minute after a foul on Memphis. Elizabeth Wright played the free kick for Colorado College and fired the shot on frame as Lady Tiger goalkeeper Elise Kuhar-Pitters made the save to keep the 1-0 lead for Memphis.

Emily Beans fired a shot in the 38^th minute that was blocked and rebounded by NSCAA National Player of the Week Brittney Lyman and blocked again by the Lady Tiger defensive backs. Brennan O’Connell gathered the second rebounded shot and fired another shot for Colorado College that was deflected out of play for a Colorado College corner kick. Wright played the ball after the corner kick and placed the ball on frame and Kuhar-Pitters made her third save of the match to end the Colorado College attack late in the first half.

Colorado College went into the dressing room with an 8-7 shots advantage and a 3-2 shots on goal advantage. Kuhar-Pitters finished the first half with three saves for Memphis and Hulyo finished the half with one save for Colorado College.

Beans played a shot two minutes into the second half for Colorado College that was deflected by Kuhar-Pitters and cleared out of the penalty area by the Memphis backs.

C-USA Defensive Player of Year Kelsey Bakker returned to the starting line-up for Memphis and recorded a shot in the 59^th minute that went inches above the crossbar. Bakker played all 90 minutes on defense for Memphis as the Lady Tigers held Colorado College scoreless for

Colorado College midfielder Kelly Lavoie found the ball in the middle of the field in the 64^th minute and fired a shot from seven yards out that was deflected by Kuhar-Pitters for her fifth save of the match.

Berra created a 1 v 1 situation in the 65^th minute, but Hulyo came up with a big save for Colorado College to keep the score at 1-0 in favor of Memphis.

Colorado College forward Tiffany Brown recorded shots in the 79^th and 80^th minute that were saved by Kuhar-Pitters.

C-USA All-Academic first team selection Brittany Hance helped the defense in the 83^rd minute as Lyman had a 1v1 with Hance driving down the sideline. Hance blocked Lyman’s path to the net so Kuhar-Pitters could make the diving stop for Memphis to keep Colorado College from recording another shot.

Colorado College was fouled by Memphis in the 85^th minute. Elizabeth Wright played the free kick for Colorado College just outside the 18 yard box and Hildebrandt was able to block the ball out of the attacking zone to end the scoring try for Colorado College.

Colorado College ended the match with a 15-10 shot advantage and a 7-3 shots on goal advantage. Kuhar-Pitters finished with a season-high seven saves and posted her 10^th shutout of the season. Sophomore goalkeeper Jordan Boyle and Kuhar-Pitters have combined for a single-season school record 11 shutouts. With 14 career shutouts, Kuhar-Pitters passed former Lady Tiger netiminder Katarina Wicksell for second place on the all-time shutouts list.