No. 5 Tartans Advance in NCAA Championship Tournament

(PITTSBURGH, Pa.) - The fifth-ranked Carnegie Mellon University women's soccer team advanced to the second round of the 2015 NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Championship with a 5-0 victory against Cabrini College at home on Saturday, November 14. The Tartans are now 16-1-1 on year which ties a school record of wins in a season. 

The Tartans broke through in the 29th minute when sophomore Sienna Stritter (Menlo Park, Calif./Menlo School) finished a low shot from outside the 18-yard box. Stritter took the shot after a pass forward by junior Samantha Smith (Seattle, Wash./International Community School). The Tartans held the 1-0 lead at the break after having six additional shots saved by Cabrini's Alivia Dietsch. 

Stritter struck again in the 49th minute when she fired a shot from the right side of the 18-yard box high and over the hands of Dietsch. Stritter received a pass from sophomore Tori Iatarola (West Dundee, Ill./Loyola Academy) before dribbling around a defender to creat space for the shot. 

The Tartans added to the score in the 68th minute when senior Alli McGugan (Chicago, Ill./Marist) connected on a cross to the far post by sophomore Morgan Kontor (Annapolis, Md./Severn School). Kontor's cross sailed over the defense to the far post where McGugan charged in for the finish.

Junior Katie Liston (Lakewood, Ohio/Montessori HS at University Circle) made a diving save off a free kick by Brittany Runyen in the 72nd minute to keep the shutout.

Sophomore Nicole Winegardner (Fleetwood, Pa./Brandywine Heights) scored twice for the Tartans before the game ended with goals in the 80th and 82nd minutes. Both goals were assisted by junior Megan Bartoshuk (Redwood City, Calif./Sequoia).

The Tartans advance to the second round of the NCAA Women's Soccer Championship for the second straight year and third time in four years. Carnegie Mellon will face the winner of SUNY Oneonta and McDaniel at 5:00 p.m. Sunday, November 15.