Freshman defender Christine Kearney converted on a penalty kick shootout to help lift the Chico State women's soccer team into the NCAA Championship Tournament's second round for the first time in the history of the program, and then two days later, notched her first collegiate goal. She's been named a Wildcat of the Week.
Kearney was making just the eighth and ninth starts of her collegiate career and playing a vital position on the back line as the Wildcats entered NCAA Tournament play. She helped key the Wildcats' shutout of high-powered Seattle Pacific through regulation and overtime on Thursday. That marked just the second times the Falcons had been shut out all season.
Then, with the Wildcats needing her penalty kick to find the back of the net in order to remain even with just one kick remaining, the freshman calmly struck a dart into the corner of the goal. One round later, the Wildcats would win and advance.
Saturday, Kearney staked Chico State to a 1-0 lead early in the first half against UC San Diego, running on to Kasey Wall's header and burying it in the corner of the goal for her first collegiate goal.
