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GREENSBORO, NC -- The freight train that the Williams College
women's soccer team had resembled over the last four months
finally hit the end of the line Friday night as the Ephs were
defeated – for the first time in 2008 – by defending
national champion Wheaton (Ill.) College, 3-1, at McPherson Stadium
at Bryan Park in an NCAA Tournament national semifinal.
The loss came despite the Ephs outshooting the Thunder 21-13 in
the game and 14-5 over the first 45 minutes. The few mistakes
Williams made, Wheaton took advantage of and of the many chances
the Ephs had, the Thunder dodged.
“Our goal was to be here tomorrow (for the national
championship game),” Ephs head coach Michelyne Pinard said.
“That's not going to happen, but it's not for a
lack of trying, it's not for a lack of opportunities, it just
didn't happen today.”
Williams finished its season 19-1-1. Wheaton (22-3-2) advances to
play Messiah Saturday in the national championship game Saturday at
5 p.m.
“We have not faced a single squad this year better than
Williams,” Wheaton coach Pete Felske said after the game.
“And I would venture to say it wasn't even close. We
feel very fortunate to come away with a win.”
Williams had a goalden opportunity to take the lead in the
game's second minute, but Wheaton goalkeeper Ingrid Erickson
made a phenomenal stop by diving outstretched to her right. The
deflection momentarily bounced to Eph Jackie Russo, but Erickson
quickly smothered any rebound attempt.
Taryne Lee, one of the nation's top scorers, put her Wheaton
team on top with 39:05 remaining in the first half after a misplay
in the box allowed her to collect the ball at the top and fire home
a shot into the left side.
So the Ephs were forced to play catch-up and they responded much
like they have on more than one occasion this season. Over the
final 33 minutes of the half, they created no less than eight very
dangerous chances, but could not finish.
It even appeared Williams had tied the game with 18:23 to go when
Sara Wild lofted a direct kick into the box. It was headed into the
goal, but a foul was called on a Eph for a push they negated the
score.
With 16 minutes left, Williams junior Sarah Walmsley fired a shot
from the 18 that sailed over the cross bar. Just 42 seconds later,
Annelise Snyder threaded a perfect pass to Brett Eisenhart that the
first-year just re-directed wide. With 6:04 remaining, Snyder slid
a pass to her left that found Walmsley, but the junior's shot
from 10 feet out was high.
The Ephs kept coming and with 40 seconds to go, Wild fired a shot
along the ground that Erickson made another diving save. With 14
seconds left, Snyder appeared once again to knot the game with a
shot into the bottom left corner of the goal, but a correct
offsides call negated that tally.
“We outshot them by a lot, we just couldn't finish
today,” Eph first-year midfielder Nicole Stenquist said.
“Their goalie made some nice saves at the end of the first
half.”
The tempo of the game did not change in the first five minutes of
the second half as both Stenquist and Brianna Wolfson had chances
to tie the game at one. Wolfson's shot six minutes in from 16 yards
out on the right side of the box rocketed flush off the
crossbar.
But the Thunder were patient, and their very quick and dangerous
forwards were able to create some dangerous chances off quick
counter attacks. With 37:04 left in the game, one of those attacks
produced a shot that rebounded off several players in the box and
found the foot of Kari Klynstra, who dribbled a shot toward the
lower left corner of the goal. Williams keeper Lauren Sinnenberg
made a valiant effort to swipe the ball away from the goal, but
couldn't quite recover in time and suddenly the Ephs trailed
2-0.
As expected though, the Ephs did not quit as they continued to
dominate time of possession. With 30:42 remaining, it was Williams
taking advantage of an opportunity when sophomore Tyler Rainer
chipped a ball into the box. The ball bounced off Erickson to
Williams senior sniper Gabby Woodson, who one-touched it to her
right and fired a shot back across the box into the left side of
the net.
Wheaton dug in their collective heels though by sticking four and
some times five players back to clog up the Ephs passing lanes.
After Woodson's goal, the 34th and final of her illustrious
Williams career, Williams came close to setting up some dangerous
opportunities, but not like it had earlier in the game.
“I don't think we had enough desperation in the
box,” Woodson said. “I think we were trying too many
small passes rather than taking some shots. They were very good 1
v. 1 in the box and clearing the ball.”
With 6:12 left, Wheaton's Maria Della Torre extinguished
much of the hope Williams had left, intercepting a pass near field
and dribbling to the top of the box where she unleashed a perfect
left-footed shot that just cleared the hand of a leaping Sinnenberg
and just snuck in under the crossbar for a 3-1 lead.
The Ephs finished with that 21-13 shot advantage and also took
four corner kicks to the Thunder's three. Sinnenberg made two
saves in the contest.
“I could not be prouder of this group of young
women,” Pinard said. “The commitment they made to each
other and working for something bigger than each of them
individually is inspiring.
Senior back Caitlin Colesanti and first--year midfielder Nicole
Stenquist were named to the all-tournament team.
NOTES: There was a large parent contingent that
formed a great fan base for the Ephs at the game, and a few local
alums were also in attendance. Williams president Morty Schapiro
watched from the sidelines with athletic director Harry Sheehy and
senior women's administrator Lisa Melendy, who was the head coach
of the last Williams women's soccer team to make the final four in
1999. Assistant Director/finance Karen Whalen was also on hand. A
huge crowd packed the Great Hall in Paresky comprised of students,
faculty and community residents to watch the Ephs battle Wheaton as
well. Woodson's goal was her 15th this season, breaking her own
single-season school record of 14 set in 2007. The six seniors --
Woodson, Caitlin Colesanti, Clare Gallagher, Lauren Garcia, Britt
Spackman and Hannah Ratcliffe -- finish their careers with a
53-10-5 (.816 winning percentage) record.
