Central Missouri women’s soccer season ends in NCAA D-II quarterfinals

The Central Missouri women’s soccer team saw its season end with its first defeat Sunday. The Jennies were eliminated from the NCAA Division II tournament in a national quarterfinal in Somers, Wis., losing 3-1 to Grand Valley State (Mich.).

The Jennies, who finished the season 21-1-2, fell behind 3-0 before Mikala Modiri lobbed a goal over the head of the Lakers’ goalie in the 77th minute.

Grand Valley got two goals from Jenny Shaba, the first coming in the 19th minute, and also scored on a penalty kick.

NCAA Division III semis in KC nearly set

The final four teams in NCAA Division III men’s and women’s soccer, who will battle for national titles Dec. 5 and 6 at Swope Soccer Village in Kansas City, are nearly set.

In the men’s bracket, Wheaton (Ill.) will face Oneonta (N.Y.) in the first game Dec. 5 at 11 a.m. Wheaton is in the final four for the first time since 2006 after a 2-1 victory over Trinity (Texas) on Saturday. Oneonta returns for the first time since 2011 after beating Brandeis (Mass.) 3-0 on Sunday.

In the other men’s semifinal, at 1:30 p.m., Tufts (Mass.) will face either Christopher Newport (Va.) or Ohio Wesleyan, who play a national quarterfinal at noon Monday. Tufts beat Messiah (Pa.) 1-0 on Sunday.

In the women’s bracket. No. 1-ranked Lynchburg (Pa.) beat Messiah in penalty kicks after playing to a 1-1 draw. Lynchburg will face Illinois Wesleyan in one national semifinal at 5 p.m. Dec. 5.

Lynchburg is making its second appearance in the semifinals while Wesleyan, which beat Centre (Ky.) 2-1 in overtime, is making its first trip. Illinois Wesleyan freshman defender Hanna Heline is a Lawrence Free State grad.

The other women’s semifinal will pit 20th-ranked Johns Hopkins (Md.), playing in its first final four, against No. 5 Williams (Mass.) at 7 p.m. Dec. 5. Hopkins upset No. 9 Thomas More (Ky.) 1-0 on Sunday and Williams beat the College of New Jersey 1-0. Williams starting forward Allison Magruder is from St. Louis.

This story was originally published November 23, 2014 at 5:33 PM with the headline "Central Missouri women’s soccer season ends in NCAA D-II quarterfinals."