(Story From NAIA Sports Information Office)
DECATUR, Ala--- Sixteen teams will trek to the final site of the 27th Annual NAIA Women's Soccer National Championship at Jack Allen Complex in Decatur, Ala., Nov. 29 - Dec. 4. Second-round action will take place Nov. 29 - 30 with four games each day, followed by the quarterfinals on Dec. 1 and semifinals on Dec. 3. The 2010 Women's Soccer National Championship final will be decided on Dec. 4 at 5 p.m. CST.
Seven of the 16 teams that advanced to Decatur in 2009 will be returning after registering wins in the National Championship Opening Round on Nov. 20. Included among those seven teams are top-seeded Concordia (Ore.) and two-time defending national champion Lee (Tenn.). The Cavaliers prevailed against Simon Fraser (B.C.), 2-1, and are the only undefeated squad at 19-0-2. Concordia, who owned the No. 1 ranking in 10 of this season's Coaches' Top 25 Polls, including the final eight announcements, will meet Hastings (Neb.) Nov. 29 at 1 p.m. The Broncos (15-4-2) knocked off 16th-seeded Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) 5-4 in penalty kicks after playing to a 1-1 double-overtime tie.
Lee, who is playing in its seventh Women's Soccer National Championship, cruised past first-time qualifier Tennessee Wesleyan 7-0 in the Opening Round. The second-seeded Lady Flames' path to a third-straight national title continues with a second-round match against 15th-seeded Mobile (Ala.) (13-6-1) on Nov. 29 at 4 p.m. In two previous meetings this season, Lee has defeated the Rams 2-0 on Aug. 28 and most recently notched a 2-1 victory in the Southern States Athletic Conference Tournament championship game.
Also advancing to Decatur are a pair of first-time qualifiers in Baker (Kan.) and The Master's (Calif.). The Wildcats upended 12th-seeded McKendree (Ill.) 2-1 in the Opening Round to push their record to 12-5-4. Seventh-year head coach Nate Houser will take his team into a second-round contest against fifth-seeded Martin Methodist (Tenn.) on Nov. 30 at 10 a.m.
Sixth-seeded The Master's, who earned an at-large invitation to the event, blanked Maine-Fort Kent 3-0 to earn a second-round date with 11th-seeded California Baptist (14-5-2). It will be the second meeting this season between the Mustangs and the Lancers. The first match came in the semifinals of the Golden State Athletic Conference Tournament, with the two teams playing to a 1-1 double-overtime draw. The Lancers advanced on penalty kicks, 4-3. They will square off on Nov. 30 at 7 p.m.
Five of this year's final site teams have made 10-or more National Championship appearances, led by Azusa Pacific (Calif.) with 13. Houghton (N.Y.) and Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) have each made a dozen trips to the event, and Concordia has advanced 10 times.
Mobile snaps a nine-year absence, the longest of all 16 teams, from the event. The Rams last participated in 2000 and also took home top-honors in 1997.
The championship field also contains three additional programs that have previously taken home the banner. Lindsey Wilson and Martin Methodist have each claimed a pair of national titles, and Azusa Pacific won the event in 1997.
NeuLion is the NAIA's Digital Media Partner and official video-streaming company of nine select NAIA National Championship events. All 15 matches from Decatur will be available via live video stream for $24.95 and any single day can be purchased for $9.95.
Tournament Web Site