Nov. 14, 2008

Story courtesy of Northwood Sports Information Office

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - No. 7 Northwood University earned the right to call themselves champions for the third consecutive year, defeating the Savannah College of Art & Design 2-0 in The Sun Conference women's soccer tournament final on Friday afternoon.

Lisa Ohberg, named The Sun Conference Offensive Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year earlier in the week, opened the scoring after just 10 minutes.  After a series of nice passes, Sofia Abrahamsson found Ohberg in space, and the freshman curled her 26th goal of the season past SCAD keeper Rosanna Lamprey.

Northwood (16-2) immediately poured on the pressure, as Tess Svensson and Emelie Lindstrom had shots saved by Lamprey, and Ohberg nearly doubled the scoreline when her header flicked wide.

Northwood put the game away in a two minute span in the second half.  Didi Jurman leapt to palm away a rising shot from Gabby Levandowski, and off the resulting corner, Jurman kept Selin Kuralay's header out.  Jurman's punt downfield was controlled by Katya Salguero , who laid off for Sofia Soras, and Soras ripped a shot past a diving Lamprey from 25 yards out.

Kuralay put wide another header with six minutes left, and the Bees (12-6) could not get another shot on frame.

It was the third consecutive year Northwood has defeated the Bees in the conference tournament, and the eighth time in 12 games that Northwood has won in this matchup (8-1-3).

"I'm extremely proud of the ladies," said Northwood head coach Ty Brewer.  "This was one of our goals at the beginning of the year, to win the conference tournament, and now it's on to nationals where we compete with the nation's best."

Northwood will play in an NAIA Women's Soccer National Championship Opening Round on Saturday, November 22.  Site and time will be announced on Sunday, November 16.