DAVENPORT, Iowa -- Top-seeded St. Ambrose opened up a 3-1 halftime lead and defeated eighth-seeded Mount Mercy, 7-2, in the quarterfinals of the 2009 Midwest Collegiate Conference Women's Soccer Tournament on Saturday.

With the Mustangs trailing, 3-0, senior midfielder Beth Samek drilled a penalty kick in the 43rd minute to make the score 3-1. The Queen Bees (17-1-1) added three more scores in the second half before freshman forward Kandice Kiernan connected for Mount Mercy in the 75th minute. Senior goalkeeper Katie Manning stopped nine shots in her final game for the Mustangs.

St. Ambrose advances to face fifth-seeded Ashford in Saturday's semifinals. The Saints upset fourth-seeded Viterbo (Wis.), 5-2, in their quarterfinal. Second-seeded Clarke, a 3-0 winner over seventh-seeded William Penn, hosts third-seeded Grand View, a 3-0 victor against sixth-seeded Waldorf, in Saturday's other semifinal.

The MCC championship game is slated for Wednesday, Nov. 11.