WESTERVILLE, OHIO – The Otterbein University women’s soccer team, ranked third nationally, will make its first ever NCAA Final Four appearance when it squares off against #2 Hardin-Simmons University (TX) on Friday, Dec. 3 at the Blossom Soccer Stadium in San Antonio, Texas. Match time is set for 5 p.m. central time. 

The second semi-final matchup will feature tenth-ranked William Smith College (NY) against top-ranked and two-time defending national champion Messiah College (PA) at 7:30 p.m. The winners will return Saturday at 5 p.m. to play for the national championship. 

Otterbein (20-0-3) advanced 3-1 in penalty kicks over both Loras (IA) and Denison to reach the Final Four, and sits atop the nation with 20 shutouts this season. 

The Cardinals have allowed just four goals this season for an average of 0.17 per contest. Anchoring the unit has been a trio of senior defenders in Jenny Knox, Laura Vasbinder, and Hannah Fairbanks, as well as senior goalkeeper Tara Carter. 

Knox, a two-time All-America pick, has also tallied five goals and one assist this season, while Carter ranks third nationally in goals-against average, and fourth in save-percentage (.926).
 
The Cards have been led in scoring each of the past four seasons by senior forward Lindsey Rudibaugh, who has nine goals and five assists so far this season. She will be returning to the lineup after being forced to sit out the team’s Elite 8 contest for receiving two yellow cards in the previous match. 

Senior Cristen Herold ranks 18th in the country with 12 assists this season, setting the Cardinal single-season and career record (24) in the process. She is tied for third on the team in scoring with sophomore Molly Kroger, each having totaled 16 points. 

Junior Adrienne Novak sits second on the team with 19 points (eight goals, three assists), while senior midfielders Tara Smith and Rachel Degen have tallied 11 and six points, respectively. 

Junior Alyssa Hale has come on strong as the season has progressed, battling back from injury to make an impact at multiple positions on the field. 

Kroger and fellow sophomores Rachel Denz, Jessica Yaney, Molly Newhouse, and Emily Bates all contribute, while freshman Chelsea DeLay has also gotten into the mix this season. 

Head Coach Brandon Koons, having gone 177-45-20 since taking over in 1999, and 68-4-6 over the last three seasons, feels confident his team can handle the excitement of playing at a stage they’ve never reach before. 

“I actually think the girls will be calmer at this level than the last one, because having never been this far takes off a lot of pressure,” he explained. “We felt all season that we had the best team in the region, and it was more stressful proving that than it will be at the next level. Everything from here on is more calming.” 

With a rather experienced group, including eight senior starters, Koons feels comfortable his team will adapt to the surroundings and excitement of playing on such a national stage. 

“The first priority is to not look at the events as distractions,” Koons said. “The community outreach program, the banquet, the river tour, etc. will all be a blast, but our girls will be able to separate the extra activities from the matches and enjoy the event as a whole.” 

Hardin-Simmons began the season ranked 13th in the national poll, and has since rattled of 23-straight wins to climb to number two. The Cowgirls punched their ticket to the program’s first Final Four by defeating #7 Emory (GA) 2-1 in the Elite 8. 

Hardin-Simmons has been paced this season by a pair of sisters in Amy and Katie Kuykendall. Amy, a senior, is the nation’s second-leading scorer with 28 goals and 64 total points, while sophomore Katie leads all of Division III with 23 assists. 

Katie also sits as the second-leading scorer for the Cowgirls, coupling ten goals with the 23 assists, while senior Carlyn Powers and junior Miranda Bersosa have eight and seven scores, respectively. Five other players have four-plus goals for the Cowgirls. 

Both the NCAA and Otterbein’s WOBN U-Stream will offer live online video of the contest, and options can be accessed by choosing the "details" tab on the schedule page. 

Click here for various packages on attending or tracking the matches.