Saade Scores In OT to Give Stevens E8 Title
HOBOKEN, N.J. (November 6, 2016) – Stevens Institute of Technology women's soccer freshman
Gabriella Saade scored two minutes into the first overtime Sunday, clinching a 3-2 win over Ithaca in the Empire 8 Conference Championship Final.
Off a short cross in the box from sophomore
Zisi Komar, Saade one-timed the ball into the back of the net for the game-winning score.
The win moved Stevens to 18-1-0, and clinched an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament for the second-straight year. Saada was named tournament MVP after keying both Stevens wins with two goals and an assist.
Senior
Raba Nassif and Komar each scored goals for Stevens in the match Sunday, while freshman
Julia Panko tallied an assist.
Stevens outshot the Bombers 26-15 including a 16-4 margin in shots on goal.
Ithaca grabbed the early lead with a goal 10 minutes into regulation, but Stevens promptly responded less than a minute later with the equalizing score from Nassif. Ithaca keeper Stacey DiGiorgio saved a shot from the top of the box from Saade, but was unable to corral it as Nassif knocked the loose ball in.
Komar made it 2-1 16 minutes later off passes from Nassif and freshman
Julia Panko, but Ithaca provided the answer in the 36th minute to send the match into the half tied at two.
The second half brought a physical hard-fought battle on both sides, but Stevens was still able to exert some early pressure with eight shots over the first 17 minutes including five on goal. Ithaca returned the favor with shots in the 65th and 72nd minutes, but the first went wide while sophomore keeper
Madi Chollett converted the save on the other.
The Bombers had two more opportunities with a pair of corners in the final two minutes, but Stevens' defense diffused each situation to preserve the tie and set up Saade's game winner in the extra frame.
The Ducks will await their NCAA seeding with tomorrow's section show at 1:30 p.m.