TOPEKA, Kansas — Cloud County Community College women's soccer head coach James Ross said the road to the NJCAA DI Women's Soccer Championships would run through Butler Community College, a perennial Region VI powerhouse and No. 16 ranked team in the nation.

On Thursday, the reactivated T-Birds' program showed the new kids in the conference were up to the challenge as they steamrolled the Grizzlies, 3-0, in the semi-finals of the Region VI Playoffs. It marks the first time since 2010 that Butler has not advanced to the national tournament.

Cloud County (14-3 overall) advances to face the winner of Coffeyville (13-5 overall) and No. 17 ranked Johnson County (15-4 overall) at 10 a.m. on Friday in the Region VI finals for the right to go to the national tournament.

"The biggest thing was that the girls bought in to the game plan, they executed the game plan, and 'Ju Ju' finished her chances," Ross said. "And our back line of Abigail Conway, Ingrid Castro, Yasmidt Mendoza, Hollie Johnston; that was the best I've seen them play all year. Butler's right wing (Kennedy Weaver) is phenomenal, so we put Abbie at left back, her natural position, and she shut her down. "

Freshman forward Joana Villanova was sensational Thursday, finishing with a pair of goals on four shots, to up her goal total to a team-leading 15 on the season.

Villanova's first score came at the 28:37 mark of the first half as she cashed in a great lead pass by fellow freshman, Maryanne de Castro.

Cloud County held that 1-0 lead until the 52:32 mark in the second half when Villanova weaved her way between three Butler (15-5 overall) defenders, got the ball on her left foot, and fired a rocket near post to make it a 2-0 contest.

"Both of her goals came when she was finishing low and to a corner and her second one with her left foot was great to see because when she got her she couldn't shoot left-footed," Ross said. "We made her only use her left foot in training sessions and it has helped a lot."

Sophomore midfielder Angie Vergara joined the party 4:40 later with another insurance goal to put the bow on top of the T-Birds' 3-0 victory.

In net, freshman goalkeeper Alanya Hannigan played what Ross called her best game of the season as she made three key saves, none bigger than a point-blank save at the 16:40 mark that kept Butler from grabbing the early lead.

Cloud County will look to continue its dream season, and punch its first ever ticket to the national tournament, at 10 a.m. tomorrow in the Region VI Playoffs final at Hummer Sports Complex in Topeka.

"We've exceeded expectations. No one expected us to be here and people don't expect us to win tomorrow, but we've been on a mission since we reactivated the program," Ross said. "We're going to enjoy this win, but we're going to start preparing for either Johnson County or Coffeyville. Both teams are very, very good."