After an amazing weekend for the Women’s Soccer team, we have even more to look forward to. Making it the NCAAs is such an accomplishment for our team and we could not be more excited. Being the top seed #1 in the TCCC, we were able to host the Quarterfinals, Semifinals and the Championship at home. All of our hard work paid off and we had a successful postseason. We played Gordon College at home in the Quarterfinals and won 2-0. The Semifinals was against the fourth-seeded team, University of New England, who we defeated in the first overtime period, 2-1. Noelle Marston scored in the first couple of minutes to end the game and take us into the finals. When we found out we were to play Endicott in the finals we were all excited. Endicott, being our biggest rival for the past couple years, was the team we wanted to beat. A home championship game vs. Endicott was the ideal game for us.
The final game was one of the most intense games I have ever been a part of. Going into halftime we were up 1-0 but we all knew that meant nothing. We knew the next 45 minutes of this game was going to be a constant battle. When one of their midfielders shot from 6 yards out to tie up the game, we knew this game was not going to be easy. The intensity rose when it was tied until Endicott’s most dangerous forward blasted the ball into the net. When the score was 2-1, I didn’t even know what to think looking at the scoreboard with about 18 minutes left to play. That was until Alexa Maher hit the most perfect shot right about the goalie’s hands to tie up the game. From that moment the game turned around and we were ready to win! Going into the two overtime periods both us and Endicott had opportunities to score, but none were as close as Katie Fusaro’s shot with 3 seconds left. The ball was just shy as being the game-winning goal, by nailing the crossbar to end the overtime.
Going into penalty kicks was absolutely nerve-racking, but thinking back to all of the practices when we ended with PK’s, I knew we had it. Our order went Devon Leighton, Maddy Howard, Alexa Maher and finally Laurin Pendleton. All four made their shots to win. But one person who came up huge in the shootout was keeper Kelsey McGee. When one of the toughest defenders on the Endicott team took her shot, Kelsey saved it and gave us all a sense of confidence. When the third Endicott shooter went to take her shot and McGee saved it again, I was in shock and knew we had won it! For Kelsey to save two shots in a shootout is unbelievable. Even for a goalie to save just one shot is great, but for her to save two ensured us to win! She had a great game overall and really showed it in the PK’s. Winning the 2010 TCCC Finals on our home field was one of the most amazing feelings I have ever had and I know we all won’t forget that moment! We are so grateful that all of our hard work throughout this season really paid off in the end, and we can’t wait to continue our season next weekend.
On Thursday we will be heading to Oneonta, N.Y. to play Oneonta State in the first round of the NCAAs. This will be out second appearance in the national tournament and we could not be more excited. LET’S GO HAWKS!
