Winning Ways Continue In Regular-Season Finale

ST. JOSEPH, Minn. (10/27/12)—There is a reason a team wins the MIAC regular season championship four times in seven years, has been to the NCAA Tournament in five of the past six years and has won more conference games in the past five years than any school in the conference – it knows how to win close games.

That is exactly the scenario that played out in St. Joseph on Saturday as Concordia, with nothing to play for, overcame a playing-for-their-playoff life St. Ben's team and won 2-1 in double overtime. The Cobbers were able to find a way to win with a pair of starters being rested on the bench and post their second 10-win conference season in the past four years.

Concordia finishes the regular season with a 14-3-1 overall record and a 10-1-0 mark in conference play. The 14 overall wins is the most since 2009 and the 10 league victories matches the school-record total from 2009 and 2004.  

Concordia conceded an early goal and was forced to chase the game the entire 90 minutes. The Cobbers had to shuffle their line-up in the first 10 minutes of play after defender Jessica Scherr took a ball to her face and had to go to the sideline after she was cut and was bleeding. While she was being patched up the Cobbers reorganized their formation and St. Ben's took advantage as they scored on a breakaway at the 8:29 mark.

The Cobbers equalized in the 27^th minute when Emma Ekdahl pounced on a rebound and knocked home a finish from the top of the penalty area. It was Ekdahl's second goal of the season.

The teams then played through the second half and the first overtime period without a goal. The Blazers were able to attack Concordia and ended up outshooting CC 25-15 for the game.

Concordia scored the game-winning goal in the fourth minute of the second extra period. Junior midfielder Gina Weiss was able to turn the corner on the right wing and passed the ball back to Elizabeth Robinson who neatly finished off the play by pushing home her fourth goal of the year.

CC goalie Ali Nelson made eight saves to up her school-record win total to 55. St. Ben's keeper Megan Favorite made three stops in the losing effort.

Concordia will now have to try and repeat the result as they will host St. Ben's on Wednesday, Oct. 31 in the semifinals of the MIAC postseason tournament. The Cobbers will be making their conference-record 10^th consecutive playoff appearance.  The two teams met in last year's conference championship game with the Blazers coming away with a 1-0 win.