No. 18 CSU Upends No. 14 AASU, 4-2, In NCAAs

COLUMBUS, Ga. - Kate Walton's corner kick header just 1:13 after halftime snapped a 2-2 tie and propelled the No. 18-ranked Columbus State Cougars a 4-2 victory over No. 14 Armstrong Atlantic State in the 2009 NCAA Southeast Regional at the Walden Soccer Complex in Columbus, Ga., on Sunday afternoon.

Columbus State (16-2-3) advances to the Southeat Region final on Friday, November 20, meeting top seed Carson-Newman - a 1-0 winner over Tusculum - in Jefferson City, Tenn. The Pirates (16-4-3) see their 2009 season come to a close in the NCAA's second round after picking up their first-ever NCAA victory on Friday evening with a 5-0 win over Belmont Abbey.

The Cougars took an early 1-0 lead on a short corner kick in the 8th minute. Jill Walthall played the corner to Kayla Brown, who served the ball into the box to an open Gina Goforth, who converted for her 13th goal of the season.

The Pirates struck back to take a 2-1 lead with a pair of goals within two minutes of each other. Freshman Kristina Pascutti dribbled in on the left side, crossed a ball which deflected off of a CSU defender back to her, and fired a shot that beat CSU keeper Kelly Nimmo in the 15th minute for her eighth tally of the season.

Another deflection off of the CSU defense resulted in the second Pirate goal with sophomore Erin Holt taking the failed clearance from the top of the box, scoring her fifth goal of the year.

The score remained 2-1 until the final moments of the first half. A free kick in the 43rd minute resulted in a loose ball at the top of the box, where Kelsey Bass volleyed it home to tie things up at 2-2 heading intermission.

The Pirates outshot the Cougars, 6-3, in the first half, as Nimmo made a pair of saves for CSU.

The Walton goal just after halftime gave the Cougars back the lead, then a key exchange in the 62nd minute cemented the Columbus State victory. Kristina Pascutti got in behind the defense and her shot was blocked by a diving Nimmo, and the resulting counterattack saw Melinda Bush beat two defenders for the match-clinching tally.

Pascutti had seven shots on and one goal to lead the Pirates. Gina Goforth had a trio of shots, including a goal, for the Cougars.

The Pirates outshot the Cougars, 14-11, while Columbus State enjoyed a 10-6 edge in corner kicks. Nimmo made 10 saves in the match, including eight in the second half. Mitchell made a pair of saves for the Pirates in 69 minutes of action, while substitute goalkeeper Meghan Mayville made a save in just over 21 minutes of action.

The match was the final for three seniors - Kristin Burton, Kayley Ralton and Sam Held. Burton finishes her career as the seventh-leading goal scorer in NCAA Division II history with 95 goals, as well as the PBC's all-time leader in goals, assists and points scored.