Maggie Donnellan
  • Education
  • Class of 2014
  • Maineville, OH

Maineville Native Maggie Donnellan Part of NCAA Tournament Semifinalist

2013 Nov 27

Maggie Donnellan, a native of Maineville, OH, and graduate of Kings Mills High School, is a member of the Capital University women's soccer team, which has reached the national semifinals of the NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Tournament.

Capital will take on No. 3 William Smith (N.Y.) in a semifinal match on Friday, Dec. 6, at 12 p.m. EST (11 a.m. CST) at Toyota Field in San Antonio, Texas.

The winner of Friday's match takes on the winner of the No. 13 Middlebury (Vt.)-No. 2 Trinity (Texas) semifinal match on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. EST (1:30 p.m. CST).

The Crusaders (19-4-2 overall) are unbeaten in their last 10 matches, winning nine in a row before tying top-ranked Washington (Mo.) on Sunday at the NCAA sectional final in St. Louis. Capital advanced to the national semifinals after eliminating the Bears on penalty kicks, 3-2.

After sharing the Ohio Athletic Conference regular season championship, the Crusaders won the OAC Tournament title to qualify for their second NCAA Tournament appearance in the last three years and fifth berth all-time.

Capital traveled to Whitewater, Wis., and defeated the University of Chicago 1-0 in double overtime on Nov. 16 to reach the NCAA second round for the second time in three years. The Crusaders knocked off No. 16 Wisconsin-Whitewater, 1-0, in Milwaukee the next day, becoming the first team in program history to advance to the Round of 16.

With a 2-1 victory last Saturday over Thomas More (Ky.), Capital became just the ninth team in school history to finish in the final eight of an NCAA championship. The Crusaders then upset No. 1 Washington to become the institution's first team to reach a national semifinal since the 1996-97 women's basketball team. The team's 19 wins are a school record, topping the previous high of 17 set in 1999.

William Smith (21-1), a member of the Liberty League, is located in Geneva, N.Y. The Herons, who hosted both the first and second rounds and their sectional, have shut out each opponent it has faced in the NCAA Tournament so far.

After a 5-0 victory over Cabrini (Pa.) to start the tournament, William Smith recorded three straight 1-0 wins over Oneonta (N.Y.), No. 15 TCNJ and No. 7 Ithaca (N.Y.). The Herons haven't allowed a goal since Sept. 28 and their only loss came in their season opener at TCNJ on Aug. 30.

Capital will depart Columbus for San Antonio next Wednesday and arrive late that afternoon. The Crusaders will practice and take part in NCAA programming on Thursday before playing in Friday's semifinal.