AMHERST, MA -- With the season on the line, the women's soccer team delivered today. The third-seeded Ephs (11-3-2, 5-2-2 NESCAC) traveled to Amherst to take on fifth-seeded Middlebury (8-5-3, 4-3-2 NESCAC) in the semi-finals of the NESCAC tournament. After beating the Panthers 3-0 to end the regular season, the rematch promised to be a good game for the Ephs. Sara Wild netted a goal in the first half and Nicole Stenquist added an insurance goal with little time to go to give the Ephs the 2-0 victory.
Middlebury had the first real scoring chance of the game when in the 12th minute, senior Kirsten Lundquist sent a corner kick to the far post. Maddy Boston made a great run to get a foot on the ball, but her deflection went high.
Wild's goal came with 16:33 to play in the first half. After Middlebury committed a foul just outside the box, Williams was awarded a free kick in the center of the field. Wild stepped up and booted the ball over a Middlebury wall and into the back of the net. It was Wild's sixth goal of the year.
With 10:10 to play, it looked as if Wild might add another goal when she took a penalty kick for the Ephs. Her shot, however, was high. Just 30 seconds later, Annelise Snyder had a nice look at the net, but Middlebury goalie Lauryn Torch made the save. Torch recorded seven saves on the day.
Middlebury's best chance to even up the game came with eight minutes to play in the half. The Panthers had a free kick from 45 yards out on the right side. The ball was loose in the box until senior Julia Schreiber, who recorded five saves on the day, picked it up. As a result, the game went into halftime with a 1-0 Eph lead.
The second half passed uneventfully until the final minutes. With 3:08 left in the game, freshman Hayley Cook passed the ball to Stenquist who fired a shot from 30 yards out. It was Stenquist's first goal of the season.
The Ephs will play Amherst tomorrow in the NESCAC championship game. Williams is looking to win its fourth consecutive NESCAC championship. Looking towards tomorrow, Coach Michelyne Pinard said, "It means the world to me, the team, and the seniors to be playing for a fourth NESCAC championship in four years. These seniors really have led the way, and we are all going to do whatever we can do to deliver the fourth championship." The game will take place at noon.
2010 NESCAC Women's Soccer Championship
Quarterfinals – Sunday, Oct. 31
No. 1 Tufts ties No. 8 Bates, 0-0 (2OT)
(Bates advances on penalty kicks, 3-2)
No. 2 Amherst def. No. 7 Bowdoin, 3-2
No. 3 Williams def. No. 6 Wesleyan, 4-1
No. 5 Middlebury def. No. 4 Trinity, 2-0
Semifinals – Saturday, Nov. 6 (at Amherst)
No. 2 Amherst def. No. 8 Bates, 4-1
No. 3 Williams def. No. 5 Middlebury, 2-0
Championship – Sunday, Nov. 7 (at Amherst)
No. 2 Amherst vs. No. 3 Williams – 12 p.m.
