OMAHA, Neb. - On a cold night two different players score as the Bellevue University women's soccer team defeated cross-town rival College of Saint Mary 2-0 in a Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference semi-final on Saturday evening at Tranquility Park. Bellevue (15-1-0), ranked No. 19 in the latest NAIA Coaches' Poll, won their 10th straight match while CSM falls to 11-7-0 with the loss.
Bellevue sophomore Lauren Clark (Portsmouth, England) opened the scoring with her sixth tally in the 25th minute. Clark forced a CSM turnover near midfield and took the ball down the middle to the edge of the 18-yard box arc and unleashed a powerful shot low and across her body past the diving keeper.
Sophomore Michelle Dolder (Cali, Colombia) doubled the BU advantage in the 73rd minute with her fourth goal of the season. After possessing the ball for a lengthy time in the CSM defensive end, Dolder unleashed a high-arcing shot from the nearside that snuck under the opposite upper corner from 22 yards out.
Freshman keeper Laurence Rodier (Quebec, Canada) made four saves for the Bruins while her counterpart Courtney Smith stopped seven shots for CSM. For Rodier, it was her third clean sheet of the season.
Bellevue held a 19-8 advantage in shots, including a 9-4 edge in shots on goal while gaining two corner kicks compared to one for College of Saint Mary.
Bellevue will return to action when they host Oklahoma Wesleyan University, who defeated Waldorf College earlier this afternoon, on Saturday, Nov. 15 in the MCAC Championship match. Game time will be announced early next week.
