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WILLIAMSTOWN, MA.
– In a season that began with expectations of besting last
year's Final Four appearance, and winning the program's
first NCAA Championship, the second-ranked Williams women's
soccer team saw their bid fall short this
afternoon. The College of New Jersey's
Allyson Anderson scored at the 64:56 mark to push her squad past
the previously undefeated sectional host, 1-0.
The Ephs finish their impressive 2009 campaign at
19-1.
TCNJ (19-2-1), currently ranked
23rd in the latest national polls, will play in the
national quarterfinals tomorrow against 15th-ranked
Ithaca College in Williamstown, MA.
Ithaca advanced to the Elite 8 with a 2-1-overtime win over Rowan
University.
The game was evenly matched throughout, with
both the Ephs and the Lions taking 13 shots on the day.
Anderson, a freshman forward for TCNJ, came off the bench to
provide the only offense her team would need to deal Williams their
first loss of the season. She dribbled to the
outside of her defender to find space for a shot just outside the
18-yard box, and placed a long hard ball past the Ephs keeper,
Lauren Sinnenberg, for the lead.
“It is always a great match up between
TCNJ and Williams,” commented Williams senior tri-captain and
the 2009 NESCAC Player of the Year Brianna
Wolfson. “They are an NCAA
powerhouse. I
don't think we were outplayed, and I don't think we
outplayed them either. We left it all out on the
field. We all had our
sights on a national championship, and it'
s tough to lose, b
ut I'm confident about where these players can go next
year.”
The game was physical from the get go and the
officiating was contested by both head coaches who believed the
referees were too quick to the whistle. A total
of 33 fouls called, and two yellow cards were
given.
Despite some questionable calls, each team had
a few great scoring opportunities earlier in the
game. With 33:30 left on the clock in the first
period, a cross sailed over Sinnenberg's
head. It appeared to be heading into the goal,
but Ephs defender Sachi Siegelman headed the ball
out.
In the second half, before Anderson's
goal, Williams' Sara Wild took a free kick following a called
foul. She placed a high ball in the perfect location, but TCNJ
goalie Jessica Clarke's took a giant leap to tip the ball
over the crossbar.
The save was just one of Clarke's nine saves in the
game. She would make another spectacular save to
avoid a game-tying goal by Sarah Walmsley with 17 minutes left in
the game.
“I thought that [tying] goal was going
to come,” said Wolfson. “Jessie
Clark is unbelievable, and the further you get in this tournament
the higher the level of play. We haven't
seen saves like that all year.”
Heading into this game with a perfect 19-0
record is an incredible accomplishment for any squad, but
particularly for a Williams program that was not a top-25 squad
just three years ago.
“I'm proud of what we created in
my four years here,” continued Wolfson. “My freshman
year here we finished 8-3-3, and lost in the first round of
NESCACs. Now we have
been national contenders for a couple years, and that is any
captain's dream.”
“This senior class is a great
group,” said Pinard. “We
weren't where we wanted to be a few years back, and to see
the quality of play and team improve both on and off the field has
been such a treat to watch. I am sad for them
that it didn't work out today, but I couldn't be more
proud.”
The Elite 8 contest between Ithaca and TCNJ is
set for a 1:00 p.m. start time at Cole Field on the Williams
College campus.
