(Thanks as always to Shane at NC-Soccer.com for the amazing photos!)

Mandy Laddish Gets A Hero's Embrace After Firing Notre Dame Into The Final

Notre Dame 1 (Laddish 83′) – 0 Ohio State – Despite dominating proceedings on Friday afternoon, Notre Dame were made to sweat until the eighty-third minute thanks to a combination of strong goalkeeping from Ohio State’s Katie Baumgardner and the Irish’s own uncanny ability to rattle the frame of the goal no less than four times on the evening. While OSU held their own from the opening whistle, as the minutes clicked off, it became increasingly apparent that the side from South Bend were the stronger team on the evening. But for all their dominance, Notre Dame were unable to hit the back of the net until freshman Mandy Laddish scored perhaps the goal of the tournament. The first-year player went on a powerful, driving run through the center of the park before letting fly with a left-footed blast from the edge of the area that finally beat Baumgardner and avoided the frame of the goal, rippling the upper-left corner of the net and prompting elation from the Irish faithful. There was still drama yet to unfold though as with time winding down in the second half, OSU forward Paige Maxwell lofted a ball to the far post that had ND keeper Nikki Weiss struggling. It was the Buckeyes’ turn to be denied by the woodwork though, the hopeful effort careening off the post and away from the goal and sparing Irish blushes. Baumgardner had been a revelation in goal for the Buckeyes, making ten often brilliant saves and showing great command of the area to keep her side in with a glimmer of hope even after Laddish’s opener. But Notre Dame’s talent showed in the end, and the Irish advance to Sunday with a real shot at bringing home another national title.

Stanford's Camille Levin Ignited The Card's Road To The Final With An Early Second Half Goal

Stanford 2 (Levin 48′, Taylor 87′) – 0 Boston College – Stanford used strikes early and late in the second half to claim a hard fought win over a game Boston College side who might feel slightly hard done by given the slightly lopsided scoreline. That 2-0 deficit would have looked fitting after a first half in which the Card used their possession style game to render BC’s powerful offense impotent. But Stanford found their own edge in front of goal a little blunter than usual, the Eagle defense and Jillian Mastroianni coming up large to send the match into the half knotted at 0-0. Shortly after the break, a tactical switch by Stanford coach Paul Ratcliffe would pay major dividends after Camille Levin, who had started as part of the Card’s attacking tridente, made the most of the space in midfield after being dropped back to an attacking midfield position. Off a pass from Christen Press, Levin cut centrally before firing a bomb from the edge of the area that gave Mastroianni no chance in the BC goal. Needing an equalizer, the Eagles would ratchet up the heat and almost level the score with a little less than a quarter of an hour to play. Kristie Mewis rose for a header that was beaten away brilliantly by Emily Oliver in the Stanford goal, only for the ball to skate out into the path of an onrushing Hannah Cerrone. But Cerrone couldn’t keep her composure and sent her shot into orbit from short range, leading the Card to breathe a sigh of relief. Cerrone’s night wouldn’t get any better with just a few minutes left to play, as the resolute full-back was caught cold by a weak pass from Mastroianni, letting Lindsay Taylor swoop in and intercept for a breakaway. The speedy junior would make no mistake in wrapping up the win for Stanford, beating the keeper to her right with the calmest of finishes. Having passed every test thus far in 2010 with flying colors, it’ll be final exam time for Stanford on Sunday with the most rigorous of opponents waiting to try and deny the Card highest honors in the final match of 2010.

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