Aquinas advances while UNOH ends season in NAIA Women's Soccer Opening Round

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - (NAIA Release) - Aquinas and UNOH both entered the 2021 NAIA Women's Soccer National Championship Opening Round with matches in Indiana. Aquinas prevailed through the Marion Bracket, upsetting the top seed to advance the finals site while UNOH fell in the Indianapolis Bracket to end the season at 12-7-3.

AQ (22-1-1) now travels to Orange Beach, Ala. to play in the single-elimination finals bracket at the Orange Beach Sportsplex Nov.r 30 - Dec. 6, 2021. The Saints were one of four No. 2 seeds to advance out of the Opening Round.

Marion Bracket
No. 2 Aquinas def. No. 3 Hope International (Calif.), 2-1 box score
Aquinas scored in the 55th minute of play to take a 2-1 lead over Hope International (Calif.) and never relinquished the lead. Merin McDermott recorded her 10th goal of the season on a deflection to send her Saints to Saturday's championship affair. Braeleigh McCoy saved two of the three Hope International's shots on goal in the first half. Siera Pedroza of HIU (12-2-3) finished with eight saves, while allowing two goals in the loss.

No. 2 Aquinas (Mich.) def. No. 1 Indiana Wesleyan, 2-0 box score
Top-seeded IWU committed a foul outside the box to set up a free kick for Aquinas. Hannah Crum buried the shot in the upper right corner for the match's first score in the fifth minute. Aquinas played strong defense and held IWU to three total shots in the first 45 minutes. Aquinas scored an insurance goal just two minutes into the second half began when Ariana Garcia stole the ball and hit a shot right past the goalkeeper for the 2-0 advantage. Braeleigh McCoy made a total of five saves in the win and recorded her second shutout of the season. Hope Stacker for Indiana Wesleyan took the loss after allowing two goals and making one save. IWU closed out its season with a 17-5-0 record.

Indianapolis Bracket
No. 1 Marian (Ind.) def. No. 4 UNOH, 1-0 box score
After a scoreless first half where both teams combined for seven shots and only one good look at the goal, Erin Oleksak broke a 0-0 tie in the 74th minute for Marian. Oleksak put back a deflection into the back of the net for the game-winning goal to advance the Knights with a 1-0 win over UNOH. UNOH ends its season at 12-7-3.