Kruse nets two second-half markers to lift Mavericks to Sunday's title match

VIRGIINIA BEACH, Va. (December 6, 2002) - University of Nebraska-Omaha, ranked No. 3 in the most recent National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/adidas Division II poll, got a pair of second half goals from senior Stephanie Kruse to post a 3-1 victory over No. 4 Franklin Pierce in semifinal round action of the NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Championship at the Virginia Beach Sportsplex in Virginia Beach, Va., tonight.

Nebraska-Omaha (22-0), making its first NCAA Tournament appearance, advanced to Sunday's National Championship match where it will face the winner of tonight's second semifinal between No. 2 Christian Brothers University (23-1) and Metropolitan State College (19-2-3) at 3 p.m.

With the match knotted a 1-1 at the intermission, the Mavericks took charge in the second half and got two goals in a ten minute span from Kruse. The first marker came when junior Stephanie Kirby found Kruse for a header at the goal mouth at the 56:45-mark.

The goal marked the first time Franklin Pierce (18-1-2) has allowed more than one goal in a match this season.

"For the first twenty-five minutes of the second half, we really took it to them the best we have done all season long," said UNO fourth-year head coach Don Klosterman. "We have made a point of doing that all season, but to do it to a good team at this stage was incredible. Our players really stepped it up."

The Mavericks got a back-breaking insurance goal in the 67th minute when sophomore Ashley Grace sent a sharp cross across the top of the 18-yard box that Kruse walked in on and blasted past Franklin Pierce junior goalkeeper Aase Kibsgaard (Korgen, Norway).

"With the game tied at halftime, it was like the game started all over again," said Kirby. "Except without the nerves and jitters."

Franklin Pierce suffered a huge blow to its defensive back line when senior tri-captain Nicole Cheadle (West Chester, Pa./Henderson), the 2002 Northeast-10 Conference Defensive Player of the Year, went down with a knee injury just 20-minutes into the contest.

"Losing Nicole was key," said Ravens seventh-year head coach Jeff Bailey. "We don't have a lot of depth, so it forced us to put freshmen in key spots. But I thought (sophomore) Laura King did a great job when we dropped her back (from midfield)."

UNO struck first in the 30th minute with Franklin Pierce a player down due to injury. Sophomore Martta Makila (Vantaa, Finland) was attempting to return to play after leaving the pitch under her own power, but Kirby pounced on a deflected cross and drilled it into the upper part of the goal.

"The first goal in a game like this is always important," stated Bailey. "We had our chances to take the lead but just couldn't convert."

Franklin Pierce got an equalizer just 1:35 before the intermission as senior Angela Verdoes (Katwijk Aan Zee, Holland) crossed a ball towards the middle of the penalty area that UNO freshman goalkeeper Amy Price bobbled, allowing Makila to drill a shot into a wide-open net for her third marker of the Tournament.

The Mavericks held a slim 11-10 advantage in shots for the match, including 7-4 in the second half. Price posted three saves to preserve the victory, while Kibsgaard also stopped three shots.

"In a lot of ways we overachieved this year," said Bailey. "We just ran into a good team tonight."

Franklin Pierce advanced to a record 11th-straight Final Four this season and was in search of a record sixth National Championship. The Ravens have fallen in the semifinal the last three years since winning their fifth title in 1999.

University of Nebraska-Omaha 3, Franklin Pierce 1

Scoring Summary: UNO: Stephanie Kirby (unassisted), 29:32; FP: Martta Makila (Angela Verdoes), 43:25; UNO: Stephanie Kruse (Kirby), 56:45; UNO: Kruse (Ashley Grace), 66:05. Goalkeepers: UNO: Amy Price (90:00) three saves; FP: Aase Kibsgaard (90:00), three saves.
Shots: UNO: 11, FP: 10,