Courtesy Trinity Sports Information

COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. - The No. 3 Ursinus College Bears topped the Trinity College Bantams 5-1 in the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Championship this afternoon, hosted by Ursinus College at Eleanor Frost Shell Alumnae Field. Ursinus improves to 19-2 on the season and returns to the semifinal game for the third time in four years, having won the National Championship in 2006. The Bantams end their season at 16-3.

Ursinus junior Michelle Wimmer (Palm, Pa.) got the scoring started 7:31 into the game after the Bears couldn’t capitalize on two open net opportunities. Despite a strong Ursinus attack to open the game, momentum shifted, and Trinity tested senior goalkeeper Erica Scott (Carney’s Point, N.J.) for the following 13 minutes. Scott responded, frustrating the Trinity offense with three athletic saves midway through the first half to keep the Bears on top. Ursinus regained momentum late in the half, and added a second goal off the stick of junior Megan Yoder (Lititz, Pa.) in the 37th minute, as the Bears increased their lead to 2-0.

Ursinus sophomore Alyssa Thren (Barto, Pa.) scored to open the second half, putting the Bears up 3-0. Trinity had breakaway opportunities by senior co-captain Carrie Wolcott (Hamilton, Mass.) and junior Christy Bradley (Wellesley, Mass.) midway and late in the second half, but could capitalize on neither, as Scott continued to come up with big plays.

With just over ten minutes remaining in the game, Trinity ended the scoring drought with a goal from sophomore Payson Sword (Princeton, N.J.), who deflected a shot from junior Robyn Williams (Bulawayo, Zimbabwe), finally beating Scott to pull the Bantams within two. Sword also scored in yesterday’s NCAA Tournament match against Middlebury. Ursinus answered with their fourth goal of the match, this coming off the stick of senior Jessica Zatwarnicki (Reading, Pa.), to give Ursinus a 4-1 lead and put the match out of reach for Trinity.

With just 1:02 remaining in the game, Thren added her second score of the contest, a significant goal, as it was her 32nd of the season, a Centennial Conference single season scoring record.

Ursinus made Dinallo work all afternoon, rifling off 36 shots, including three off the post. Dinallo finished the game with 16 saves. Scott racked up 13 saves on 23 Trinity shots, allowing just one goal for the win.

Ursinus advances to the NCAA Semifinal game which will be played on Sat., Nov. 21 in South Hadley, Mass. Against the winner of this afternoon’s match between Messiah and Lebanon.