SEATTLE - The second-seeded Columbus State University women's soccer team lost a hard-fought, close 2-1 match against third-seeded Western Washington University in the 2022 NCAA Division II Semifinals Thursday night at the Interbay Soccer Stadium in Seattle.

"It was a wonderful year regardless of the result tonight," said Head Coach Jay Entlich. "We ran into a really good team with Western Washington...their team was the best we've seen from start to finish. I'm really proud of the kids for not giving up. I think going down 2-0 late in the game kids are most likely to give up, but we continued to fight with scoring a goal."

Columbus State and Western Wash. were tied 0-0 in the first half of play under lights in the 20+ degree weather. The Cougars came out aggressive, out-shooting the Vikings 7-4 during the first half.

"We started off really strong in the first half," said junior midfielder Anna Grady. "We really forced them to play fast and they did play fast. We tried to keep up with their pace, and we held on really strong and held a 0-0 tie going into halftime."

After halftime, the Vikings kept that fast game going, outshooting the Cougars 15-3 and scoring two goals. Sophie Bearden Croft scored both goals for the Vikings, the first being in the 48th minute and the second in the 75th minute. CSU was not phased by this, as the team is used to coming back after being down. In the 84th minute, sophomore Emma Beddow found freshman Michelle Medina at the post, who then found the back lower left part of the net. Medina's goal minimized WWU's lead to 2-1.

"We were taught to be hit in the spring and putting your body on the line," said fifth-year senior Rachael Sweigard. "We have worked on coming back from being down and we always found a way to, just tonight we couldn't do that with their midfield switching up between the first and second half."

Sweigard, Sara Halilhodzic and Maria Kilset, all fifth-year seniors, ended their spectacular careers at CSU as 2022 NCAA DII National Semifinalists. Sweigard and Kilset each played all 90 minutes of their final game as a Cougar, and Halilhodzic recorded three saves in goal during the second half of play.

"We are super blessed to have the COVID-19 year, I look at it as a positive as it gave Rachael, Sara and Maria another opportunity to come back as fifth years," said Entlich. "We are super proud of these young ladies for traveling over 3,000 miles, playing in a different time zone and in different weather conditions than in Columbus. We are looking forward for another successful season next year."

The Cougars ended the long, victorious season with a record of 20-3-1 (9-0-1 PBC), were Peach Belt Conference Regular-Season Champions for the 14th time in program history, Southeast Regional Champions for the seventh time, and made their third semifinal match appearance in program history all under the direction of Entlich.