Photo and Article: Jimmie Athletics

SIOUX CITY, Iowa– (Jimmiepride.com) The University of Jamestown women’s soccer team continued their run to a GPAC postseason tournament championship, defeating No. 18 and top-seed Briar Cliff University 1-0 Tuesday afternoon.

Jamestown, 13-7 and the tournament’s fifth-seed will await the winner of tonight’s Midland (Neb.) – Concordia (Neb.) matchup in Friday’s final. If Midland wins, the Jimmies would host, but if Concordia wins, UJ would travel to Seward, Neb.

Autumn Opperud (JR/Huntington Beach, Calif.)’s third goal of the season, and her second in the last two matches, was the only offense the Jimmies needed against the Chargers at Memorial Field. Briar Cliff, 12-2-2 on the year, conceded just their sixth goal in 16 matches, two of them by Jamestown.

Opperud took a pass from Kalese Sunamoto (FR/Reedley, Calif.) and fired the ball high into the top left corner, leaving Charger keeper Ruby Campa with no chance to make a save.

Once again, a stellar performance from the Jimmie defense keyed the victory. Briar Cliff managed just five shots overall, and both of their shots on goal came in the first half.

Alex Nowka (SO/Anchorage, Alaska) saved both of the shots she faced in recording her ninth clean sheet of the season.

It was UJ’s first victory over a ranked team since a 3-1 win at Central Methodist (Mo.) University on August 24, 2018.