BENU Tops SU to Advance to Semifinals
Half of the California Pacific Conference Championship tournament semifinal pairings are set after Benedictine Mesa ran past Simpson 4-1 in Mesa, Ariz. The Redhawks, 7-6-2 overall this season, scored four unanswered goals over the final 73 minutes to advance to next Thursday's semifinal showdown with top-seeded Embry-Riddle at UC Merced. BENU and the Eagles will kick off in the 5:00 p.m. match, followed by the 7:30 p.m. contest pitting #2 UC Merced against the winner of tomorrow's Opening Round match between #6 Park-Gilbert and #3 Saint Katherine. The Cal Pac Championship game is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 11, at 6:30 p.m. in Merced, Calif.
SU's Yisel Ybarra found the back of the net in the 7th minute of the game, but BENU answered 10 minutes later when Dulce Yebra scored, triggering a Redhawk run of three more goals. Brylee Rod gave BENU a 2-1 halftime lead with a score in the 29th minute, and Dahlia Alonso and Bailey Norris added insurance goals in the second half.
Regular season champion ERAU has already claimed one of the Cal Pac's two automatic bids to the NAIA National Championship. The winner of the postseason tournament will earn the second. If the Eagles win the tournament, the runner-up gets the league's second spot.
2023 Women's Soccer Championship Bracket
CALIFORNIA PACIFIC CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP
Opening Round
Friday, Nov. 3
7:30 p.m. - Match 1: #4 Benedictine Mesa 4, #5 Simpson 1 | Box Score
Saturday, Nov. 4
6:00 p.m. - Match 2: #6 Park-Gilbert at #3 Saint Katherine
Semifinals
Thursday, Nov. 9
At UC Merced | Merced, Calif.
5:00 p.m. – #4 Benedictine Mesa vs. #1 Embry-Riddle
7:30 p.m. - Match 2 Winner vs. #2 UC Merced
Championship
Saturday, Nov. 11
6:30 p.m.
NAIA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Nov. 16-18
First & Second Round
At sites to be determined
Nov. 27 - Dec. 4
Championship Round
At Foley Sports Tourism Championship Stadium | Foley, Ala.