SALT LAKE CITY – No. 7 seed Westminster (7-5-4) advanced to the RMAC Tournament quarterfinals with a 2-1 win over No. 8 seed Colorado Christian (5-9-5) on Friday night at Dumke Field. Adrianna Pulver opened the scoring in the ninth minute, and Xevani Salanoa scored the game-winner in the 74th. The Griffins outshot Colorado Christian 12-7, including 7-1 in the second half.
Game Breakdown
First Half
Westminster went on the attack from the opening whistle. Chelsea Hartmann and Pulver fired shots seven seconds apart in the first minute, and the Griffins earned a corner kick at 0:37.
Pulver put Westminster in front at 8:09, finishing off an assist from Skye Kennedy for her fifth goal of the season. She took three of the Griffins' five first-half shots.
Westminster stopped all four of Colorado Christian's first-half shots on target. Marin Mackenzie saved an Ava Haas attempt 43 seconds after the goal and denied Noelle Mingo in the 13th minute. A team save turned away Alexis Byrd in the 16th.
The Griffins brought Abigail Austin, Carly Bramwell, and Laine Romney off the bench in the 27th minute, and Ashley Cardozo entered in the 33rd. Bramwell fired a shot in the 39th minute. Mackenzie closed the half with a save on Kayla Truong in the 44th, sending Westminster to the break up 1-0.
Second Half
Westminster opened the half on the front foot. Cardozo put a shot on goal in the 48th minute, and the Griffins earned corners in the 48th and 51st. Sophia Tagge leveled the match for Colorado Christian in the 54th minute, assisted by Byrd.
Westminster took control from there. The Griffins did not allow another shot over the final 36 minutes and took all six shots after the equalizer. Addison Gibbons fired in the 58th minute, and Salanoa, Bramwell, and Austin entered in the 60th. Westminster earned a corner in the 61st, Natalie Cardin forced a save from Mia Mares in the 70th, and Cardozo added an attempt in the 72nd.
The substitutes connected for the winner in the 74th minute. Bramwell set up Salanoa at 73:42, less than 15 minutes after the pair entered, for Salanoa's second goal of the season. Bramwell added a shot in the 81st, and Salanoa forced another save from Mares in the 87th as Westminster closed out the win. The Griffins finished the half with a 7-1 shot advantage and a 3-1 edge in corners.
Griffin Performances
Salanoa scored the game-winning goal and put both of her shots on target in 30 minutes off the bench. Pulver scored her fifth goal of the season, and Kennedy and Bramwell each recorded an assist. Mackenzie played all 90 minutes in goal and made three saves to earn the win. Cardozo took two shots, one on goal, and Cardin added a shot on goal in 90 minutes. Eva Christensen, Kirsten Kirkham, Amber McIntosh, and Gibbons each played the full 90 minutes on the back line.
Up Next
Westminster advances to face No. 2 seed UCCS (13-3-2) in the RMAC Tournament quarterfinals on Sunday, Nov. 1, at noon in Colorado Springs, Colo. The match will be broadcast on RMACNetwork.com. The winner advances to the semifinals on Wednesday, Nov. 4, in Denver to face the winner of No. 3 Colorado School of Mines and No. 6 Black Hills State.
