For Immediate Release
October 27, 2007
Courtesy Springfield Sports Information
Wellesley College Soccer Advances to NEWMAC Semis;
#7 Blue Defeat #2 Springfield in Shootout
Box Score
SPRINGFIELD, MA -- The No. 21 Springfield College women's soccer team's quest for the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference Tournament crown came to an end this afternoon at Brock-Affleck Field at the Irv Schmid Sports Complex as the Pride fell to Wellesley College.
The Blue, ranked seventh in the tournament, upset the second-seeded Pride by advancing 3-2 in a penalty kick shootout. With the score tied 3-3 entering the shootout, the Blue converted their first three kicks, while Wellesley keeper Katie Martore (Great Falls, VA) made three saves to propel the Blue to victory.
The Pride fall to 15-2-1 on the season with Wellesley improves to 7-7-3. Springfield, which had allowed just one goal at home the entire regular season, fell behind early as Jordan Akerley (Gilford, NH) found the back of the net off a Catherine Caruso (Belmont, MA) corner kick at the 6:37 mark. That was the lone score of the first half as the Blue went into halftime with a 1-0 advantage.
Just 23 seconds into the second half, Lauren Peltier took a feed from Kayla Thibeault and tallied a strike to knot the contest at one. Thibeault gave the Pride it's only lead of the game 4:32 later when she found the back of the net off a pass from Nicole Hanewich.
A goal from Jennie Krasker (Newton, MA) at the 63:12 mark brought the game even once again before Jennifer Lau (Honolulu, HI) put the Blue back on top, 3-2, with a strike with 69:20 on the clock.
The Pride would not go away as Delaney Cantrall tied the game at three with under eight minutes to play to send the game into overtime.
Neither team could manage a goal in the either overtime session as the game would ultimately be decided in a penalty kick shootout.
Hanewich’s opening attempt was saved by Martore and the Blue took a 1-0 advantage when Caruso’s shot deflected off the left post and into the back of the net. Jillian Pereira then slipped her shot into the right corner of the net for the Pride’s first goal of the shootout. Katie Guynn’s (Salem, VA) shot was nearly saved by Sue Jenney, but the ball deflected off the keepers outstretched hands and into the goal to put Wellesley up 2-1.
Brittany Collins gave the Pride another tally as she scored before Deirdre Garrahan’s (Fairfax Station, VA) eventual game-winner ricocheted off the right post and into the back of the net. On Springfield’s next attempt, Cantrall was stopped by Martore, but Jenney kept the Pride in the shootout as she saved Lau’s shot on the next attempt. Springfield’s final shot by Thibeault was saved by Martore to give the Blue the upset victory.
The win propels Wellesley to the semi-finals where the Blue will meet up with Babson College at Wheaton College on Saturday, November 3. The teams' regular season match-up ended as a 0-0 double overtime tie.