Ithaca Tops Nazareth, 2-1, in E8 Semis
HOBOKEN, N.J. –The nationally ranked No. 20 Ithaca College women's soccer team defeated Nazareth College, 2-1, in the Empire 8 Conference semifinals at Stevens Institute of Technology on Friday afternoon in Hoboken, N.J. With the win, Ithaca is now 13-3-2 on the season and will play tomorrow night at 7 p.m. for an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championship.
Just five into the game, junior
Holly Niemiec put the Bombers up 1-0 off a cross from senior
Sarah Woychick. Off the pass, Niemiec beat Nazareth's goalkeeper with a shot to the upper right corner.
Nazareth tied the game up at the 22:54 mark on a strike from 20 yards out that skipped of the hands off senior goalkeeper
Beth Coppolecchia and then deflected off the post into the net.
The Bombers put together another opportunity with two minutes to play before halftime. Junior
Jess Demczar ripped a high volley from the top of the 18 and struck the crossbar.
Both teams took seven shots over the first 45 minutes. Coppolecchia made four saves, while Nazareth's Allison Dobles stopped three shots. Neither team earned a corner kick in the first half.
The conference foes battled for momentum for a majority of the second half until Woychick put home the game-winner with 6:20 left in regulation. Woychick stole the ball away from a Nazareth defender to set up an open chance.
Ithaca once again took seven shots in the second half and held the Golden Flyers to just two attempts. Both teams took one corner in the second half.
Coppolecchia made one more save in the final 45 minutes for a total of five in the match for her 13th victory of the season.
Ithaca will find out its opponent later tonight as host Stevens and Houghton play at 7 p.m. The Bombers will play in their fourth straight Empire 8 final tomorrow evening.