Baranowsky's Overtime Goal Advances Ithaca
HOBOKEN, N.J. – Taylor Baranowsky scored the game-winning goal in the 95th minute of play as the third-seeded Ithaca College women's soccer team defeated second-seeded Nazareth College in overtime of the Empire 8 Championship semifinal at De Baun Athletic Complex in Hoboken, N.J.
With the win, Ithaca, which has played the Golden Flyers 14 times in the conference tournament since 2002, improved to 11-4-2 on the season and advanced to the Empire 8 title game, which will be played at 1 p.m. on Sunday at De Baun Athletic Complex. Nazareth fell to 14-3-2 with the loss. The Bombers will face top-seeded Stevens Institute of Technology, which earned a spot in the championship game by virtue of a 2-1 win over fourth-seeded Hartwick College earlier in the day.
After failing to score in regulation, the Bombers pounded the ball into their offensive zone as overtime began. Baranowsky dribbled toward the end line and attempted to set up a crossing pass before a Nazareth defender kicked the ball out of bounds setting up a corner kick opportunity for Ithaca. Senior
Jocelyn Ravesi placed the ball on the mark and delivered a strike into the box that was headed into the far corner by Baranowsky to send Ithaca into the title game.
In the opening half of play, Nazareth came out of the gates aggressively and tested Ithaca's back line over the first 25 minutes of the opening half. In the 19th minute, the Golden Flyers had their best chance to take the lead after blasting a shot that Ithaca goalie
Stacey DiGiorgio knocked away but Nazareth would retain possession and drilled another strike that the Bombers' defense blocked away and cleared to keep the game scoreless.
DiGiorgio continued to keep Ithaca's hopes alive in the second half of play as the sophomore made two more big saves including a diving save to her left but the Bombers were unable to breakthrough as 90 minutes wouldn't be enough to decide the outcome.
As a team, the Bombers were credited with eight shots in all and took six corners.
Holly Niemiec led Ithaca with three shots while
Megan Nash and Ravesi had two shots apiece.
Emma Oliver had one shot, which was on goal.
DiGiorgio picked up her 11th win of the season and moved to 11-4-2 overall. She made five saves in the win.