KANSAS CITY, Mo. --- The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics has released the pairings for the 2010 NAIA Women's Soccer National Championship Opening Round, and for the second time in three years, California Baptist University will mess with Texas.
The 11th-seed Lancers have drawn Northwood University of Cedar Hill, Texas, and will host the Knights Saturday (Nov. 20) at 11 a.m.
"Obviously, we're really excited," said CBU Head Coach Kristen St. Clair. "We're one of just 32 teams left to compete for a national championship, which is our goal at the beginning of the season."
The Lancers are making their third straight national tournament appearance and fourth overall. It is the third straight year they will host an opening round game. They have won both of them.
Back in the 2008 NAIA National Tournament Opening Round, the Lancers hosted and defeated Northwood's conference-rival Texas Wesleyan, 2-0. Last year, they defeated Grand View (Iowa), 5-0, en route to a quarterfinal appearance.
CBU enters this year's tournament at 13-5-2 overall, finishing third in the GSAC's regular season and making it to the finals of the GSAC Tournament where they lost to Azusa Pacific, 3-0, this past Friday. The Lancers are 7-2-1 against NAIA Top 25 teams this year and are 4-2-1 against teams in this year's national tournament. They are 5-1-2 in their past eight games with five of those eight games against nationally-ranked teams.
"We have a good body of work and have had good performances over the course of the year," said St. Clair. "This is exactly why we put together the type of schedule we did this year."
Under the direction of second-year Head Coach Tyler Powell, the Knights won the Red River Athletic Conference Tournament, defeating Our Lady of the Lake University, 2-0, in the finals. They are making just their second national tournament appearance and first since 2003 and enter the national tournament with an overall record of 15-3-1. They are 0-1-1 against teams in this year's tournament field, which includes a tie with John Brown (Ark.), 4-4, back on Aug. 31 and a 5-1 loss 15th-seed Mobile (Ala.) Sept. 24.
The Knights, who have won 12 in a row, went undefeated and did not give up a goal in conference play and had five players earn All-RRAC honors.
"We don't know a whole lot about Northwood, but I've heard some good things about them," said St. Clair. "They wouldn't be here if they weren't a good team. Obviously, it's been awhile since they've given up a goal, and that is impressive. We'll go to work tomorrow, and prepare for them the best we can."
The 2010 NAIA Women's Soccer National Championship Final Site is Nov. 29-Dec. 4 in Decatur, Ala.
