Principia Women's Soccer Heading Back to NCAA Tourney After Capturing SLIAC Championship

ELSAH, Ill. - The Principia College women's soccer squad, under first year head coach Jess Semnacher, will be heading back to the NCAA Tournament for the third time in the past four years after capturing the 2011 St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) Women's Soccer Tournament Championship.

Principia defeated Greenville College 1-0 to win the title. It also marks the ninth tournament championship for Principia, and their eighth as the top seed in the tournament.

After a scorless first half, Principia's Nadine Marczi gave her team a 1-0 lead with a goal in the 57th minute, with an assist from Alicia Girbes-Pierce. Murilla King and Torie DeNicholas each recorded one save in goal for Principia and combined for the shutout, Principia's 12th shutout this season. Greenville's Heidi Koehl played the entire 90:00 minutes in goal and tallied five saves.

Principia dominated on the offensive end of the field, totaling 14 shots for the game. Greenville tallied three shots in each half.

Marczi, who scored three of Principia's four goals for the tournament and had both game-winning goals, was named the 2011 SLIAC Women's Soccer Tournament Most Valuable Player. Joining her on the All-Tournament team from Principia were Lauren Wienecke, Kelly DeWindt and Carlie Sanderude. Greenville had three players - Claire Conwell-Vargas, Jackie Sievert and Heather Wein - named to the All-Tournament Team, while Webster University's Amy Schield and Ally Nikolaus and Fontbonne University's Kendra Schilli and Ava Johnson also earned the honor.