Women's Soccer | 4/13/2021 9:34:05 PM
No. 5 seed Utica College and No. 6 seed Alfred University advanced in the opening round of the 2021 Empire 8 Spring Women's Soccer Championship on Tuesday, April 13. Utica played to a 1-1 double overtime draw versus No. 4 Houghton College before advancing 3-1 on penalty kicks. Alfred earned its first win of 2021 after defeating No. 3 seed St. John Fisher College by a score of 1-0.
Utica will head to top-seed Nazareth College to take on the Golden Flyers in one semifinal Thursday afternoon at 4:30 p.m., while Alfred travels east to face No. 2 seed Russell Sage College in the second semifinal at 7 p.m.
NO. 5 UTICA 1, No. 4 HOUGHTON 1 (2 OT) - UTICA ADVANCED 3-1 ON PENALTY KICKS
Junior
Emily Hill made three clutch saves and three players buried their shots as the Utica advanced 3-1 win in penalty kicks after a 1-1 double overtime tie versus Houghton.
Houghton opened the scoring at 30:11 when Kealy DeForest put in a rebound off a set piece for her team-leading fifth goal of the season. Moriah Steffen picked up the assist on the go-ahead score.
Utica responded just 4:55 later as sophomore
Hope Millets put in her second of the year to tie the game at one. Junior
Hillaria Hernandez fired a shot from 10 yards outside the box that the Houghton keeper stopped, but could not keep control of and Millets was there to put in the rebound.
Houghton threatened towards the end of regulation and Utica controlled the majority of the play in the overtime period, but neither team was able to net the winner as the game was sent to penalty kicks.
Hill gave UC the momentum early as she stopped the first kick with a great diving save to her right side. Sophomore
Jenna Keeman buried her attempt to give the Pioneers a 1-0 lead after round one. Another big save by Hill and a missed shot by Utica kept the score at 1-0 after round two.
Houghton's Anna Kalivoda converted on her kick, but Hernadez left no doubt as she fired her shot inside the right post to regain the Utica lead. Hill came up with another big save and freshman
Kaela Mochak placed a ball inside the left post as the Houghton keeper dove the opposite way to send the Pioneers to the semifinals for the third year in a row.
Hill finished with 13 saves for Utica, while Megan Merrifield made seven saves for the Highlanders.
NO. 6 ALFRED 1, NO. 3 ST. JOHN FISHER 0
A strong defensive effort from the Alfred resulted in a 1-0 victory over St. John Fisher College Tuesday. The victory marked Alfred's first Empire 8 Tournament win in program history.
The Saxons were tasked with defending six corner kicks and 20 shots from the Cardinals. Alfred placed four of their seven shots on goal.
Midfielder
Angelina Gonzalez (Marion, NY/Marion), scored the match's lone goal in the first half of action, while junior midfielder
Abigail Austin (Hornell, NY/Hornell) finished with two shots on goal. Sophomore goalkeeper
Hannah Fuller (Binghamton, NY/Chenango Forks) shined in the playoff matchup, recording six saves and the shutout.
The Saxons offense remained aggressive in the opening stages of the first half, placing each of their first two shots on goal. Gonzalez worked up the left side of the field and drew a penalty kick. She hit the upper-left corner of the back of the net to give Alfred the 1-0 lead.
St. John Fisher continued to test Alfred's defense, but their first four corner kick opportunities were rejected by the Saxons. The Cardinals totaled 10 shots in the first half but did not place a shot on goal through the final 19 minutes of the half, as Alfred went into the break with a 1-0 advantage.
The Saxons defense stood tall in the second half, limiting St. John Fisher to only two corner kick opportunities. Fuller was responsible for two saves in the final half of action, including an important moment at the 87:31 mark.
Nazareth defeated semfinal opponent Utica, 4-1 on March 21, while Sage downed Utica, 2-0 earlier in the regular season on March 17.
2021 Empire 8 Spring Women's Soccer Championship Schedule
Tuesday, April 13 – First Round
#6 Alfred University defeats #3 St. John Fisher, 1-0 – STATS
#5 Utica College ties #4 Houghton College, 1-1 (2OT) - STATS
**Utica advances on penalty kicks, 3-1**
Thursday, April 15 - Semifinals
#1 Nazareth College vs. #5 Utica – 4:30 pm
#2 Russell Sage College vs. #6 Alfred –
7 p.m.
Saturday, April 17 - Championship
Winner of Semifinal #1 vs. Winner of Semifinal #2 – TBA at Highest Remaining Seed