Box Score DANVILLE, Ky. (CentreAthletics.com) – The Centre women's soccer team is headed back to the NCAA Division III Tournament Sweet 16 for the second consecutive season following a 4-0 victory over Capital in a second round matchup on Sunday afternoon at Hillside Field.
The Colonels won their 11th straight game to improve to 19-1-1 on the year, while the Crusaders close the 2015 season with a 15-5-1 ledger.
Centre moves on to take on Bluegrass state foe Thomas More in the Sweet 16 next weekend at a site to be determined. The eighth-ranked Saints advance to the round of 16 after a 1-0 win over Chicago on Sunday.
The Colonels are now one win shy of the program record, set by the 2012 Centre team, which finished the year at 20-2.
On Sunday, forward Destinie Graves (Lexington, Ky.) continued her strong junior campaign with a goal in the 12th minute off the assist by senior forward Elizabeth Mason (Lawrenceburg, Ky.). Graves now has 23 goals on the season.
Freshman midfielder Sarah Waldo (Bedford, Ind.) found junior defender Katie Downing (Dayton, Ohio) for a goal in the 23rd minute to give the Colonels a 2-0 lead, before senior forward Alex Combs (Danville, Ky.) pushed the Centre advantage to 3-0 with a 21-yard strike to the right side of the net off the assist by junior defender Shannon Murray (Harrodsburg, Ky.) with just under 10 minutes to play in the first half.
In the 73rd minute, sophomore midfielder Nancy Ingham (Boulder, Colo.) found the back of the net on the assist by Murray, giving Centre a four-goal lead in the 74th minute.
Junior goalkeeper Olivia Alford (Louisville, Ky.) earned the win between the pipes for the Colonels, making four saves in the victory. Alford and the Colonel defense combined for their 13th shutout of the season and eighth in their last nine games.
Centre outshot the Crusaders 20-7 in the contest, including an 8-4 margin in shots on goal.
The Colonels held a 9-3 advantage in corner kicks over Capital.
Centre will learn the site for the next two rounds of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday night. Check back to CentreAthletics.com for the latest and most up-to-date information regarding the tournament.