Box Score SANTA CLARITA, Calif. — Jennifer Hager's header off Brianne Searl's corner kick provided the difference in the Cal State San Marcos women's soccer team's 1-0 victory over The Master's College in the NAIA Opening Round on Saturday afternoon at Reese Field.

The win sends CSUSM (12-5-1) to Orange Beach, Ala., the final site of the NAIA National Championship. The Cougars are in the 16-team field for the first time since 2008.

"It is a great result for us and the program to get us in the Sweet 16 again. Going into the season, we felt like if we won A.I.I., it would be great," said CSUSM head coach Ron Pulvers. "We've won that, we got a win today, and we're advancing to the single site. Alabama here we come. Look out because I wouldn't want to play us right now."
 
Despite the cold and windy day, the Cougars had no trouble maintaining its recent hot streak, winning its third straight postseason game, and for the fifth time in six games. The Cougars controlled the ball and tempo almost immediately from the onset and never relinquished it.
 
The ball stayed primarily on the Mustang side of the field for the majority of the first half, with the Cougars threatening several times with free kicks from just outside the box, and had an early goal negated by an offside call.
 
CSUSM and The Master's flashed different styles, with the Mustangs preferring to keep the ball on the ground while the Cougars took control through the aerial attack, winning nearly every fifty-fifty ball. It seemed only fitting that Hager's breakthrough goal before halftime came via the air.

In the 40^th minute, Searl bent a ball towards the far post from the left side. Hager rose to meet it on top of the six and headed into the short side of the net.

"It was a big time playoff game. I thought we dominated for good parts of the game, but they are always going to be dangerous. Jen Hager scored a terrific goal on the corner. Once we got the goal, I felt real confident," said Pulvers.
 
Early in the second half, the Mustangs put together their first serious threat, with goalkeeper Amanda Sears saving a ball shot from the left side from about six yards out on the left side.
 
The Cougars posted a 19-12 advantage in shots, a 9-6 edge in shots on goal, and kept the Mustang attack at bay even more than the box score indicated, with TMC threats few and far between.
 
CSUSM kept on the offensive in the second half and had a few solid attempts at adding an insurance goal, but never broke through despite good looks from Jacqueline Lara, Dani Porter and Ashley Graves.
 
Mustang midfielder Natasha Coyle ripped a shot towards the upper right corner of the goal with less than two minutes remaining, but Sears pushed the shot over the crossbar to keep the lead and preserve the shutout— her eighth of the season.
 
TMC ends the year at 15-6 overall.

The Cougars will face No. 2 Northwood (Fla.) in their second-round match in Alabama.