PITTSBURG – The Pittsburg State University women's soccer team is set to begin the NCAA Division II National Tournament with a first round match in the Central Regional hosted by Bemidji State University on Friday (Nov. 21).
 
Pittsburg State as the No. 6 seed in the Central Region will play against No. 3 seed St. Cloud State University at Chet Anderson Stadium, kickoff is set for 10:00 a.m. (CST).
 
The MIAA regular season champions, Pitt State is 14-3-2 on the season and in latest USC Division II Top-25 Poll (Nov. 11), the Gorillas are No. 25. Nine players were named All-MIAA this season with head coach Wes Branstetter (22-11-4, .649) being named the MIAA Coach of the Year.
 
Carrie Cunningham, Abby Hoffman, Sailor Jensen and Jocelyn Kramar were named onto the first-team with Cunningham also being named the MIAA Offensive Player of the Year. Ella Cazzavillan and Livi Jones were named to the second-team, Mia Hunt was a third-team selection and the duo of Avianna Gonzalez and Adelynn Phipps were named honorable mentions. Following the conclusion of the MIAA Tournament, Macy Malik was named to the All-Tournament team.
 
Among Division II ranks the Gorillas are 12^th in corner kicks per game (6.58) and shots per game (18.58), 18^th in win-loss-tie percentage (.789), 30^th in shots on goal per game (8.37), 34^th in goal differential (+25), 40^th in shutout percentage (.526) and goals scored (39), 43^rd in total assists (30), 45^th in goals against average (GAA) (0.737) and scoring offense (2.05).
 
Kramar in 1634:25 minutes in goal has allowed 11 goals for a 0.61 GAA (31^st in DII) with 45 saves (.804), 10 shutouts (14^th in DII) and owns a 14-2-2 record. Leading the offense with five goals are Cazzavillan and Cunningham with both also offering multiple assists this season. M. Hunt, Shayla Hunt, Danae Hobson and Jensen are the Gorillas with four goals scored with Jones the lone member of the team to score three times this season. Malik, Dylann Ehegartner, Hailey Green and Annie Payne are the other members of the team with more than one goal scored this season. Hoffman leads the team with five assists followed by Cazzavillan (3), Cunningham (2), M. Hunt (2), S. Hunt (2), Jones (2), Ann Boehnlein (2) and Ryann Caruth (2) round out the Gorillas to provide more than one assist this season.
 
St. Cloud State finished the regular season tied for second in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference before advancing to the NSIC Tournament Championship match, falling to Minnesota State - Mankato 2-1 in 2OT on Sunday (Nov. 15). SCSU earned an at-large bid and will be making its third straight appearance in the national tournament with a 14-2-5 overall record. Eight members of the team and head coach Gretta Macdonald (103-71-36, .576) being named the NSIC Coach of the Year.
 
Brooke Quam and Ellie Primerano were first-team All-NSIC selections with Quam also picking up NSIC Midfielder of the Year honors in its first season of offering. Linsey Trapino, Grace Olson, Darby Allen, Ana Spaine, Izzy Halunen and Jaylee Strickland were second-team honorees.
 
Strickland in 1898:50 minutes has allowed 12 goals for a 0.57 GAA with 70 saves (.854), 11 shutouts and is 14-2-5. Trapino leads the team with seven goals scored, Primerano is second on the team with six goals and Olson is third within team ranks with five goals scored. Allen (4), Cady Compton (3), Quam (2), Jordan Kardelis (2), Gabby Hofeld (2) and Spaine (2) are the other members of the team to score multiple times this season. Quam leads the squad with seven assists followed by Primerano (6), Trapino (5), Olson (5) and Kardelis (3) as the other members of the team to provide more than one assist this season.
 
The winner of the Pitt State - St. Cloud State match will advance to the Central Region second round and play either No. 2 seed Bemidji State (14-2-4) or No. 7 seed Central Missouri (10-5-4).

In the other half of the regional bracket, No. 1 seed Minnesota State - Mankato (17-1-3) will host Harding (12-6-2) at The Pitch, while No. 4 seed Washburn (11-3-5) will face off against No. 5 seed Missouri Western (12-2-7).