Box Score
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Kelsy
McAnelly |
Samantha
Russo |
|
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Sydney
Parker |
Gianna
Vitolo |
Box score
ITHACA, N.Y. – The University of Scranton women's
soccer team played its typical strong defense throughout its NCAA
Tournament first-round match against Bowdoin College on Saturday
afternoon. But when the Royals couldn't produce a goal of
their own, the game wound up in a penalty kick shootout, where just
about anything can happen.
In the end, what happened didn't turn out in the
Royals' favor as the Polar Bears won the shootout, 5-3, to
advance after the teams tied, 0-0, at Carp Wood Field on the campus
of Ithaca College. Bowdoin advances to a second-round match on
Sunday against the host Ithaca.
Scranton (9-7-5) and Bowdoin (14-3-4) battled back-and-forth
throughout regulation with both teams generating a handful of
chances, but neither finding what would've been the
game-winning goal. Scranton outshot Bowdoin in the first half, 3-1,
and had a great chance in the 23rd minute when senior midfielder
Sydney Parker (Randolph, N.J./Randolph)
got free at the top of the penalty area, but her shot sailed over
the upper right corner.
The Polar Bears controlled the early part of the second half,
continually putting pressure on the Royals, but junior goalie
Kelsy McAnelly (West Chester, Pa./Villa Maria
Academy) was up to the task, making four saves in the
second period.
The Royals again had the best opportunity of the half, this time
coming with just over six minutes left. After a Bowdoin corner
kick, Scranton went on the counterattack with junior forward
Samantha Russo (Yorktown Heights,
N.Y./Yorktown) breaking up the middle against two
defenders. She found freshman forward Gianna
Vitolo (Denville, N.J./Morris Knolls) on the right
wing, setting her up alone against the goalie. Vitolo's shot
beat the Polar Bears' keeper, but drilled the right post
square and kicked back out of the penalty area.
The Royals got one more shot before overtime, but Russo's
attempt from 18 yards out was easily stopped.
McAnelly made two saves in the first overtime and Bowdoin
freshman goalie Bridget McCarthy (Hopkinton, Mass./Worcester
Academy) made one in the second overtime to send the game to a
shootout.
Each team converted on its first three attempts and headed into
the fourth round tied at three. Bowdoin converted its attempt
before McCarthy made at tremendous diving stop of a shot by Russo
that appeared ticketed for the bottom left corner. When the Polar
Bears converted to start the fifth round, they had the shootout won
and advanced to the second round on Sunday.
Bowdoin outshot the Royals, 14-10, and each team had three
corner kicks. McAnelly and McCarthy each finished with seven saves.
Russo led Scranton with three shots, all of which were on goal.
The Royals were making their third straight NCAA appearance and
14th in school history. They are now 7-11-4 all-time in NCAA
Tournament matches.
--ROYALS--