In Case You Missed It
COLUMBIA, S.C. – With one swift kick and a taking advantage of a golden opportunity, Washington State (16-6-1) felled another giant in the NCAA Tournament, upsetting No.2 seed South Carolina (19-2-3), 1-0, in overtime, Friday night in Columbia to punch their ticket to the 2019 College Cup. For 95 minutes, a physical battle raged on the field at Stone Stadium with victory hanging in the balance with every swing of momentum. For 95 minutes, the Cougars could not seem to break through the vaunted South Carolina defense which entered the night having not relinquished a score in seven-straight games. For 95 minutes, WSU poured every bit of energy it could muster into the game only to look up at the scoreboard and still see a blank spot where a goal should have been. For 95 minutes, the Cougars withstood every counter punch and denied every dangerous chance the Gamecocks could throw at them while a hostile crowd became deafening. For 95 minutes, the Cougars' defense, from the forwards, to the backline, to 'keeper
Ella Dederick, made plays to preserve the shutout. And then, in the blink of an eye, lightning struck once again for the Cougs when sophomore
Mykiaa Minniss roofed a volley into the upper netting to end the overtime game in an instant. Alone on the back post, Minniss snuck her way behind the Gamecocks' defenders as a late arriving addition into a set piece off an earned corner. With another big target in the middle, junior
Hanna Goff, serving the corner for the first time in the game, lofted a ball into the scrum in front of goal where it deflected to the awaiting foot of Minniss who calmly blasted the volley into the back of the net and blasted the Cougs into the College Cup.
Fact of the Match
The Cougars are just the fourth team since 2007 to make the College Cup after making the Elite Eight for the first time in their program history.
The Moment That Made The Match
Things You Need To Know
- Washington State advanced to the College Cup for the first time in program history after earning its 16th win of the year and third shutout of the postseason.
- The overtime win moved the Cougs to 3-0-1 in extra time in 2019 and a stellar 10-4 in one-goal games.
- The win over South Carolina was the first in program history.
- WSU became the first team to defeat South Carolina in 17 matches and the first to score a goal in eight matches.
- WSU became just the sixth team in the last 60 matches to defeat the Gamecocks at Stone Stadium.
- Mykiaa Minniss became the 12th different Cougar to score on the year and the 10th to score a game-winner.
- The goal was the second career goal for the center back and first since Aug. 26, 2018 in her fourth career game.
- Hanna Goff tallied her second assist on the year.
- WSU improved to 8-10-4 all-time in the NCAA Tournament.
- Ella Dederick extended her program record with her 53rd career win in goal while picking up her 29th career shutout while making two saves on the night.
- The Cougars will head to San Jose, Calif. for the College Cup at Avaya Stadium. They will take on North Carolina at 4 p.m. in the first national semifinal game. Stanford and UCLA will play in game two with the Pac-12 becoming just the second conference (third time) to send three teams to the College Cup.
