CBU earns 3rd PacWest Championship; Grand Canyon claims NCAA automatic berth

SAINT GEORGE, UT – Few could have predicted at the beginning of the season that a 1-1 double-overtime draw in Saint George, UT, could decide so much.

But on Thursday evening when Grand Canyon’s Marina Nesic punched home the game-tying goal at Dixie State to forge the 1-1 tie, the Antelopes had secured their first trip to the NCAA Division II National Championship Tournament and California Baptist had earned the outright PacWest title.

California Baptist earned the outright title by virtue of its 28-point season accrued on a 9-1-1 PacWest record. Grand Canyon secured second place in the league by finishing 8-2-2 in the conference with a total 26 points.

Because California Baptist is not yet eligible for NCAA II post-season play, Grand Canyon earns the PacWest automatic qualifier to the NCAA Division II National Championship Tournament.

Grand Canyon needed at least a tie to clinch the automatic berth, while a loss would have opened the door for BYU-Hawaii to land a spot in the post-season with a win in its final contest.

Mindi Beckstrom used an assist from Jordyn Ross at 64:24 to break a scoreless tie and give Dixie State the edge, but Nesic evened the contest again with a goal at 72:22. GCU netminder Stephanie Phillips halted 15 of 16 shots on goal to keep the game tied and put the Antelopes in a post-season to earn an NCAA berth.