UWSP Women's Soccer

Margaret Domka scored on a header off a free kick by Andrea Spiel to give the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point women's soccer team all the offense it would need Friday in a 1-0 victory over Macalester (Minn.) in the NCAA Division III Central Region semifinals at Wheaton, Ill.

The Pointers won their school-record 20^th match in the victory and improved to 20-4 overall. The win increased UW-Stevens Point's school-record winning streak to 14 matches and the Pointers are just the 21^st team in Division III history to win 20 matches in a season.

The Pointers will now face either Wheaton College Saturday at 5 p.m. in the "Sweet 16" round of the tournament.

UW-Stevens Point also avenged a 2-0 loss to Macalester earlier this season. The Scots finished 16-2-1 overall and suffered just their sixth loss in the past three seasons with two of those coming to UW-Stevens Point. Macalester had played in the Division III national championship match the past two seasons.

"It was just an outstanding defensive effort," Pointer coach Sheila Miech said. "Our defense did a great job not allowing Macalester to get any good shots off in the second half. I'm very proud of the way we played today and this was just a huge win."

It marks the first time UW-Stevens Point has won two NCAA tournament games in a season after also beating Edgewood in the first round Wednesday. The Pointers are making their seventh tournament appearance.

Domka, who played prep soccer at Stevens Point Area Senior High School, scored her goal on a header at the 39:10 mark of the first half. The Pointers then shutout the Scots for the final 51 minutes to preserve the win.

"This means so much since it's the first time we've won two tournament games (in a season)," Miech said. "We also have now beaten the top five teams in the MIAC (Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) this season, which is a huge accomplishment."

UW-Stevens Point also advanced to the regional finals when the tournament was a 32-team event in 1994 and 1993, losing to Cal.-San Diego both years.