SJFC Top Stevens to Advance to E8 Championship Game
BOX SCORE
The fourth-seeded St. John Fisher field hockey team scored two goals in a span of 1:54 to take a 2-1 lead with 16:47 left in regulation en route to a 3-1 victory over top seeded Stevens Institute of Technology Saturday afternoon in the semifinals of the Empire 8 Conference Tournament. The Cardinals will now take on the winner of Utica/Ithaca in the championship game in Hoboken, NJ on Sunday at 1 p.m.
With the victory the third year program earned its first postseason win along with its first ever double digit win season. Fisher improves to 10-9 overall, 5-3 in the Empire 8 while Stevens ends its season 12-7 and 7-1 respectively.
Trailing 1-0 at the half, Fisher settled in as Marissa Vedella found the back of the net, 16 minutes into the half for her eighth goal of the season.
Then just 1:54 later Vedella found Elizabeth Cusack at the top of the arc, who blasted a shot past the Stevens goalkeeper for what proved to be the eventual game-winning goal.
Although Fisher was outshot 40-14 in the game, Danielle Famolaro made save after save, including several crucial stops down the stretch to keep the Cardinals in front. She finished with a school record 18 saves.
Fisher was able to seal the victory as Stacie Skidmore scored an empty net goal with under one minute to play for the final goal of the game.
Stevens got off to a quick start in the first half scoring just four minutes into the contest on an unassisted goal from Erin Silvestri to take the 1-0 lead.
The Ducks continued to put the pressure on drawing a penalty stroke in the 10th minute of play but Famolaro steered the shot aside to keep score at 1-0.
The Cardinals had a penalty stroke of their own in the 27th minute of play, but Cusack's attempt was saved by Emily Stuckenborg.
Fisher continued to generate scoring opportunities late in the half. Caitlin Allen played a long pass to Cusack who had a one on one opportunity saved with under five to play.
The Cardinals appeared to equalize on the final play of the period, when Cusack found the net off a penalty corner but the goal was disallowed. Stevens outshot Fisher, 20-7 in the first half.