MILWAUKEE - The Connecticut and Notre Dame women's soccer teams each won their semifinal games Saturday, Nov. 4 and will advanced to the final match of the 2005 BIG EAST Women's Soccer Championship. The championship game will be played Sunday, Nov. 6 at Valley Fields in Milwaukee, Wis. at 11 a.m. CT.

In the first game of the afternoon, Kathleen Frank, a senior defender for No. 1A seed Connecticut, scored the game-winning goal with 4:20 remaining in the second overtime period to lift the Huskies over West Virginia, 1-0. The defending BIG EAST Champion will now compete in its 10th BIG EAST Women's Soccer Championship final game. The Huskies' overall record during the final match of the championship is 7-2.

Notre Dame, the defending National Champions and No. 1B seed, secured the remaining spot in the championship game with a 3-0 victory over Marquette in the nightcap. Katie Thorlakson, Kerri Hanks and Jen Buczkowski posted goals for the Irish. ND will now compete for its eighth BIG EAST Championship title. The last time Notre Dame claimed the title was in 2001.

The final game will mark the eighth time that UConn and ND have faced off for the championship crown. Notre Dame has claimed the title in six of the seven previous championship games. The Huskies defeated the Irish last season in the title game, 2-1.

The winner of the match between Connecticut and Notre Dame game receives the league's automatic bid to the 64-team NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Championship. The national semifinals and championship games - the Women's College Cup - will be hosted by Texas A&M and will be played at the Aggie Soccer Complex in College Station, Texas on Dec. 2 and 4.

The championship game will be broadcast live on select BIG EAST regional outlets.

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

Friday, November 4

Connecticut 1, West Virginia 0, 2 OT Box Score
Notre Dame 3, Marquette 0 Box Score

Sunday, November 6

Connecticut vs. Notre Dame, 11 a.m., BIG EAST TV

DIRECTIONS TO VALLEY FIELDS

Traveling West on I-94 from Airport or Southbound I-43 from Green Bay or points north or Northbound I-43 from Beloit or points south

Take I-94 west to 25th Street
Turn left on 25th
Follow 25th Street a short distance to a "round-about" intersection at Canal Street
Stay on Canal Street heading eastbound and Valley Fields will be on the left.

Traveling East on I-94 from Madison and points west

Exit 26th Street/St. Paul Ave. (exit 309B)
Turn right on to St. Paul Ave and take to 25th Street
Turn right on 25th Street
Follow 25th Street a short distance to a "round-about" intersection at Canal Street
Stay on Canal Street heading eastbound and Valley Fields will be on the left.

Visit mchange.org for the most recent construction schedule surrounding the Marquette Interchange construction process.

TICKET INFORMATION

Tickets can be purchased at the Valley Fields box office and are $7 for adults, $5 for children and $3 for groups of 15 or more. All college students carrying a valid school ID are admitted free. For group ticket information, contact Ben Simon in the Marquette Marketing Office at (414) 288-0340.

Contact the Marquette ticket office at (414) 288-GOMU for more information.