Hartwick, Houghton & Ithaca Win
Hartwick 3, Utica 0 (
Box Score)
Cami Cleaveland scored twice for Hartwick and the women's soccer team halted its three-game winless streak with a 3-0 victory over host Utica on Wednesday night at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium. Hartwick improves its record to 4-3-3 overall and also notched its first Empire 8 conference victory of the season. The Pioneers, who have now dropped their last four matches, fall to 2-7-2 overall and 0-4 in the E8.
Hartwick got on the board in the sixth minute as Allyson Daniels scored her fifth of the year, unassisted. Daniels' beat Utica keeper Jamie Enders but was denied by defender
Emily Lefebvre, who stepped in to block the shot. However, Daniels was able to slide the ball inside the left post before Enders or Lefebvre could recover.
The Hawks scored their second goal at 31:46 as Cleaveland netted her fifth of the year. Enders was able to stop the initial shot by Rachel Mick, but the rebound popped out to Cleaveland, who put the ball into the open net. Hartwick capped off the scoring in the 81st minute as Cleaveland netted her second of the game, off a pass from Christina Sicari.
Annie Millar got the start in goal for Hartwick and had four saves.
Hope Brown relieved her in the second half and did not record a save. Enders turned away nine shots for Utica.
Ithaca 1, Misercordia 0 (
Box Score)
The No. 6 Ithaca College women's soccer team (9-1-0, 3-0 E8) defeated No. 9 Misericordia (7-2-1) Wednesday afternoon, shutting out the Cougars by a score of 1-0 at Carp Wood Field. Senior
Ellyn Grant-Keane scored the lone goal for the Bombers, while sophomore
Beth Coppolecchia stopped all seven shots she faced for her fourth individual shut out of the season.
Grant-Keane scored the lone goal of the contest in the 10th minute, taking a feed from fellow senior
Jessie Warren off a scrum at the top of the box. Grant-Keane's goal marked her first of the season, and gave Ithaca the early 1-0 advantage.
Both teams exchanged scoring chances for the remainder of the contest, with the Cougars owning a 4-2 shot advantage in the second frame. Despite the pressure from Misericordia, Coppolecchia stood strong to secure the 1-0 shutout victory.
Houghton 1, Grove City 0 (
Box Score)
In an ending typically reserved for the basketball court, the Highlander women's soccer team scored with time running out to escape with a 1-0 victory over Grove City College on Wednesday.
The game was evenly played throughout, as each team found quality scoring chances few and far between. The Wolverines had a 5-4 advantage in shots in the first half. Both keepers played well in turning away the few opportunities that were available.
Houghton was able to increase the pressure over the game's final 10 minutes, and just missed on the game winner when
Stephany Ellison made a run into the box, but her move past a Wolverine defender gave the keeper time to come out and challenge the Houghton forward, who was upended in the collision.
As the game clock continued to move toward zero, it looked like overtime was inevitable. But Ellison made one final run down the right side and was taken down with a hard foul just outside the 18 with eight seconds left. The Highlanders sent the ball toward the goal on the re-start and
Erin Miller touched the ball to
Atalie Fite, who drilled home the game winner with just one second on the clock.
Houghton outshot Grove City, 15-12.
Shawna Sprout had nine saves for the Highlanders.