Stevens Stuns Ithaca 2-0 in Women's Soccer Semifinal
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (November 6, 2010) – Thanks to a pair of goals from freshman Jessie Wos and junior Kathleen Schuckers, the third-seeded Stevens Institute of Technology women’s soccer team upended the second-seeded Ithaca College Bombers, 2-0, in an Empire 8 Tournament semifinal match at Golden Flyers Stadium in Rochester, N.Y. With the win over Ithaca – ranked 19th in the latest NSCAA/HendrickCars.com top-25 poll – the Ducks earned their first berth in the conference’s championship match slated for Sunday, November 7 at 1 p.m.
“I have to take my hat off to the character of this group. We’ve come so far this season. The conditions were tough out there today and we were up against a tough program in Ithaca – one that has gone to the NCAA Tournament the last 20 years,” said head coach Jeff Parker. “They just believe in each other, they stuck together, and we got the result that we needed. They’ve been doing that all season. It seems to be a different person stepping up every day. It’s a special group and they keep fighting and keep battling. Hopefully we can keep it going tomorrow.”
Just over two minutes into the contest, Ithaca won its first corner of the day, generating the match’s first great scoring opportunity on the ensuing kick. Bombers’ freshman forward Ellyn Grant-Keane (Lansing, N.Y.) corralled the loose ball inside the Ducks’ box before sending a low tracer towards the right corner of the net, but a Stevens defender kicked-out the try just before the ball crossed to goal line to keep it scoreless.
After Stevens freshman Bridgette Barden and senior Mary Chew put the Ducks’ first shots on net by testing Ithaca senior goalkeeper Jessica Platt (New Marlborough, Mass.) from distance, the Bombers again threatened to pull ahead off another corner in the 11th minute, but Stevens’ junior netminder Kaitlin McClymont smothered sophomore midfielder Julie Winn’s (Sutton, Mass.) header to keep it level.
Following another corner-kick at the 13:23 mark, Ithaca created another good scoring chance, as Grant-Keane deflected a shot from the top of the 18-yard box just over the Ducks’ crossbar. Stevens responded by slowly settling into rhythm, doing a better job possessing the ball and slowing down the Ithaca attack.
Having not allowed a shot since Grant-Keane’s deflection in the 14th minute, the Ducks notched their first quality scoring chance at the 36:01 mark after winning their first corner. Freshman Jessie Wos emerged from the scramble in front of the Bombers’ net, footing it toward the Ithaca goal, catching Platt out of position, but the Bombers’ Liz Masucci (New Providence, N.J.) blocked out the would-be Ducks go-ahead score at the goal line as both teams entered the break scoreless.
Hoping to avoid any danger, McClymont aggressively came off her line to handle a pair of dangerous crosses into the Ducks’ box over the first five minutes of the second, snuffing out a couple of Ithaca chances before they could develop. Stevens’ junior forward Kathleen Schuckers then recorded the Ducks’ first chance of the frame, tracking down a long through-ball to the right side in the 53rd minute before sending a shot just high and wide-right of the Bombers’ goal.
Looking for the go-ahead goal, the Ducks began to push forward moving into the attacking third during the 64th minute of play. Senior midfielder Mary Chew would send a cross from the left side of the pitch to the back-post, finding Schuckers on the endline. The junior forward then sent it back across of the face of the goal where Platt looked to corral the cross in the middle of the box, but following a collision, the Ithaca goalkeeper lost possession, allowing Wos to swoop in and put away the match’s first marker.
The Bombers responded by going on the offensive, just missing a pair of chances to notch the equalizer over the next 10 minutes of action. Masucci started things off, finding herself alone on the left side of the Stevens 18-yard box, but the ensuing shot sailed just high of the Ducks’ net.
Minutes later at the 68:52 mark, Grant-Keane looked to have an open shot on net after receiving a cross in the middle of the Stevens box, but another save by a Ducks’ defender at the goal line – the second of the afternoon – kept the Ducks out in front.
Still clinging to a one-goal edge in the 74th minute, the Ducks notched an insurance goal, as Schuckers beat the Ithaca defense for her eighth tally of the season. The Lincoln Park, N.J. native received the pass on the left side of the 18-yard box before slipping a pair of Ithaca defenders and ripping a shot into to top left corner of the Bomber net to stake Stevens to a 2-0 advantage.
Pushing forward, Ithaca would fire four shots down the stretch, but the Ducks’ defense held firm to preserve their ninth shutout of the season, as McClymont moved to 13-3-1 on the year with seven saves on the day. With the win the Ducks ended the Bombers streak of three-consecutive championship match appearances and will face host Nazareth College – who have appeared in every league final since the 2002 season – in the tournament finale.