(Evans, GA) - Waubonsee Community College's women's soccer team has been chosen the number eight seed for the upcoming 12-team NJCAA Division II National Tournament. Coach Brad Schlemmer's Chiefs (10-1-1) are set to square off against 12th seeded Muskegon (MI) Community College this coming Saturday, June 5 in their opening match of pool play. The Chiefs and Jayhawks (9-1) are scheduled to take the pitch at Blanchard Woods Park northwest of Augusta, Georgia beginning at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). Waubonsee is then set to battle top-seeded Phoenix (AZ) College on Sunday beginning at 12 noon (EDT). The undefeated Bears (10-0) are the top ranked team in the country among NJCAA Division II colleges. Both matches can been seen 'live' on-line at www.NJCAA.org/network for a minimal fee.
This is Waubonsee's third appearance at the National Tournament in the program's history, previously representing the NJCAA's Region IV in 2011 and 2014. The Chiefs have been a perennial contender for the Region IV crown, reaching the title match 11 times in the last 13 years. The Chiefs are led by two-sport standout Olivia McPherson who is second nationally in goals scored this Spring with 23 and third in points with 51. The Aurora West High School product garnered NJCAA Division II All-American status earlier this year on the volleyball court finishing among the national leaders in kills and points per set for Waubonsee. Sophomore midfielders Ashley Bailey and Yari Aguado, who was chosen the Region IV Tournament Most Valuable Player, are both tied for sixth nationally in assists. Chiefs' goal keeper Daisy Quinonez is currently 19th nationally with a goals against average (GAA) of 1.06 and was named the Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference Goalie of the Year.
The rest of the 12-team field includes second-seeded Holmes (MS) Community College (12-0-1), third-seeded Community College of Baltimore County (MD) Essex (9-2), fourth-seeded Heartland (IL) Community College (9-0), along with three teams which received at-large bids in fifth-seeded Howard (MD) Community College (10-1), sixth-seeded Jones County (MS) Junior College (12-2) and seventh-seeded St. Louis (MO) Community College (11-2-1). Ninth-seeded Northeast (NE) Community College (12-3-1), another at-large bid recipient 10th seeded College of Lake County (7-2), and 11th seeded Allen County (KS) Community College (11-0) round out the participants. The four pool play winners will advance to the semi-finals sscheduled to be played on June 8 with the National Championship match set for June 9.