Stevens Women's Soccer Battles Nazareth to Draw in Empire 8 Opener
HOBOKEN, N.J. (September 24, 2011) – In the Empire 8 Conference opener for both squads, the Stevens Institute of Technology women’s soccer team played to a 1-1 draw with the visitors from Nazareth College at the De Baun Athletic Complex on Saturday morning. Since 2007, the teams have been even in the head-to-head matchup, as the series currently stands at 3-3-2.
Stevens (4-3-2) held a distinct advantage throughout the contest in shots and corners, posting a 25-13 difference in shots, and an 8-3 upper hand in corners. The Ducks took 11 shots in both halves of regulation, but Golden Flyers’ goalkeeper Abbie Carey (Gloversville, N.Y.) came up with multiple diving saves in the first 45 minutes to keep Nazareth in the match. Carey made nine saves in the game, including six in the first half.
Nazareth did not take long to rip a strike in the game, as its first one came just 2:22 into the contest. The attempt was saved by Ducks’ senior Kaitlin McClymont, who faced just three shots in the opener period, stopping two. McClymont turned away seven shots in the match.
The Ducks had multiple tries at the net over a 12-minute span, ranging from the 10th minute to the 22th minute, taking six shots in that time period. Four of the attempted shots were turned away by Carey and another was blocked to keep the match scoreless.
As the teams flipped sides of the field to start the second half, the Golden Flyers seemed to come out with momentum on their side. They forced McClymont to make two saves in the first five minutes and eventually put a ball in the back of the net in the 60th minute. Elizabeth Howell (Vestal, N.Y.) scored off a cross from Erica Conte (Caledonia, N.Y.) deep in the left corner of the field. As the ball arrived to Howell, she tallied the goal with a play off her shoulder to give Nazareth a 1-0 lead.
After the score, Stevens turned up the pressure and controlled the match for the majority of the time leading up to the game-tying score by sophomore Bridgette Barden in the 79th minute. A pass down the middle of the field was deflected by a Nazareth defender right to Barden, who spun and beat the outstretched arms of Carey to score the equalizer and eventually send the contest to overtime. Barden took a game-high seven shots in the contest.
Nazareth had the best opportunity in the two overtime periods to end the game with just seconds left in the first 10-minute frame. After a Stevens attempt to push the ball down the field for one final try to end the contest on a golden goal, Nazareth’s Conte took the ball up the field and beat her defender. As she entered the 18-yard box, Conte tried to score with her left foot, but McClymont rushed out and made a diving save to preserve the game and move on to the second overtime.
In the second golden goal period, either team was able to put a shot on net, ending the match in a 1-1 stalemate.