Williams Falls to Wheaton on Penalty Kicks in NCAA Women's Soccer
Courtesy Williams Sports Information
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. - After a scoreless 110 minutes of play, through regulation and two overtime periods, the match between Williams women’s soccer and Wheaton College had to be decided with penalty kicks. The Lyons won the shoot out by a decisive 3-0 margin. Wheaton came into the game undefeated with a 21-0-1 record and ranked second in the nation, and the Lyons had given up just 3 goals all season. Starting keeper Stacey Kronenberg allowed just one of those three goals.
The match began with some quick back and forth action and opportunities for both teams. Six minutes in, Lindsay Dwyer ’05 was all alone and running onto a loose ball. Kronenberg came out to challenge her and dove at the ball just as Dwyer connected for a shot. Just minutes later Wheaton’s Lauren Konopka raced down the right side of the field and placed a perfect cross at the feet of teammate Beth Caromile, whose shot sailed over the net.
Eph keeper Sarah Ginsburg ’07 had to be on her toes throughout the first half. At 17:00, Ginsburg came way out of the net for a loose ball, blocked a shot by Jordan Pouliot, and then managed to get back to her net and in position for a save on a shot by Wheaton’s Ashley Furr.
The pace slowed briefly during the middle of the first half, but picked up again as the minutes wound down. With 13 minutes left, the Lyons had a corner kick that Williams failed to clear quickly. The ball bounced around a little and Wheaton’s Jenna Stiegler had a look at an empty net, but her shot was blocked by Kaolin McEvoy ’08 and cleared.
Williams came out more aggressively in the second half, though their efforts got them little more than two off sides calls on Dwyer in the first 15 minutes. Several well placed balls put past the Wheaton defenders allowed speedy forwards Jessie Freeman ’08 and Dwyer room to run on to the ball. The intensity grew as the game progressed and more and more fouls were called, especially on the Ephs.
One of the Lyons’ best chances of the second half came with 23 minutes remaining. Furr was all alone at the top of the box but she never got her shot off before the Eph defender Pilar Macdonald ’07 took the ball out from under her feet. Just a minute later, Freeman had a rush down the left side of the field and made a low cross right to Brittany Esty ’05, who couldn’t get a foot on it to tip it past Kronenberg.
With just under eight minutes remaining in regulation, Freeman took a free kick from about 30 yards out. The kick found its way through to Dwyer but she was called off sides. At 86:00, Pouliot received a pass from Katelyn Brack and took an extremely close range shot that was headed to the upper left corner. Ginsburg corralled it easily and quickly sent the ball back down to the other half of the field.
Eph Ana Sani ’08 nearly finished the game off with 30 seconds remaining in regulation as she sent the ball into the upper left corner. Her shot rang off the crossbar, however, and the teams found themselves headed to overtime.
The first overtime was action packed and two minutes in, Ginsburg came out to challenge Konopka and blocked her shot, leaving the net wide open behind her. Furr jumped on the loose ball and sent a shot to the open net. Macdonald, scrambling towards the net, was hit with the shot in the back, saving a goal and keeping her team in the game.
Williams dominated the second overtime period and had many chances in quick succession. As the seconds ticked away, a cross by Joan Danver ’08 found Dwyer, who took a shot that sailed just wide to the right as the buzzer sounded, ending overtime and sending the match to penalty kicks.
Williams shot first and Ginsburg stepped out of her usual place to make the fist attempt. Her shot missed wide to the lower left corner. Erin Duffy took the first shot for Wheaton. Ginsburg guessed wrong and Duffy’s shot hit the back of the net, putting the Lyons up 1-0.
Esty took Williams’ second shot, but she, too, missed the net. Brack shot second for Wheaton. Her shot hit the left goal post and Ginsburg was there, but a quick bounce into the net put the Lyons up 2-0. Alix Oliver ’07 started off the third round and Kronenberg made an excellent save on her. Teresa LeBel, knowing a successful attempt would give her team the win, didn’t falter and sent a mid-height shot to the right side that beat Ginsburg and ended the game.
While Williams’ season is over, Wheaton will continue playing, facing Middlebury College next weekend at a site yet to be determined.
