By MICHAEL FELTEN SPECIAL TO THE SENTINEL
ORANGE - At least the UC Santa Cruz women's soccer team will not have to make another U-turn. The Banana Slugs were eliminated in the first round of the NCAA Division III playoffs in a 4-0 loss to Chapman Wednesday afternoon at Ernie Chapman Stadium. After making its second eight-hour Bus trip to Orange in a week, UCSC (12-5-1) surrendered three first-half goals and fell to the Panthers (16-4-1) for the second time in six days. The Slugs returned from Friday's 4-1 loss to Chapman in the regular season finale, only to learn Sunday night they had qualified to the playoffs, but were heading back south.
The team hit the road again Tuesday morning. "It's great to make the playoffs, but it was demanding travel," UCSC coach Paul Lester said. "Our confidence was fragile and early mistakes were costly." The Panthers took advantage of a defensive lapse in the 9th minute to take command. Chapman midfielder Stacie Lopez scored on a pinpoint shot, high and inside the far post from 30 yards out. "I called for the ball," Lopez said. "I was wide open."
The goal energized the Panthers, who added goals by Aja Cordova in the 22nd and 40th minutes. Both scores came from runs through the middle of the Slugs' defense. Chapman held possession throughout the half and produced 13 scoring chances. Santa Cruz's best scoring chance came late in the first half as Danielle Pellicano won a header in the box off a free kick, but was stopped by Chapman goalkeeper Kim Rudloff. The Slugs managed just three shots in the match as the Panthers recorded their 15th shutout of the season. Meanwhile, UCSC goalkeeper Janice Lopez faced 24 shots and battled all afternoon in a physical match in which both keepers were hurt.
In the 34th minute, Lopez came off the goal line to contest a Chapman corner kick. Panthers forward Briana Benson sailed in head first and collided with Lopez, who chipped a front tooth, but stayed in the match. "I'm OK," Lopez said. "I didn't even see her."
A similar incident occurred in the second half as Skye Vendt-Pierce collided head first with Rudloff on another ball in the air in front of the goal. Vendt-Pierce received a yellow card and Rudloff left the match with a sprained ankle. Pellicano, a junior, finished as the team's scoring leader this season with 18 goals and four assists. Chapman advances to a second-round match against Puget Sound (15-1-1), the third-ranked team in the country.
