Courtesy Tufts Sports Information

CLINTON, N.Y. - Hamilton junior Caroline Miller converted the deciding shoot-out goal, as the Continentals advanced past visiting Tufts, 4-3 on penalty kicks, in the second round of the NCAA Division III women's soccer championships at Love Field on Sunday.

The final score at the end of regulation and two overtime periods was 2-2. Hamilton senior Caitlin McGilley tied a career-high with 13 saves, including three in overtime, and also stopped Tufts' final kick of the shoot-out to set the stage for Miller.

Tufts won the coin toss at the beginning of the shoot-out and elected to shoot first. Senior Joelle Emery (Bedford, N.H.) sailed her shot wide left, and the ensuing attempt by Continental Erica Dressler was stopped by Tufts sophomore goalie Kate Minnehan (Hopkinton, N.H.). The next three shooters for each team scored. Tufts' Sarah Nolet (Los Altos, Calif.), first-year Geneva DeGregorio (Whately, Mass.) and sophomore Ali Maxwell (Exeter, N.H.) scored and Hamilton's Lauren Farver, MacKenzie Pelletier and Laura Stirrat found the net.

With the shoot-out score tied 3-3, Jumbo sophomore Whitney Hardy (Truckee, Calif.) stepped up and directed a kick to the left of McGilley. The goalie read the shot perfectly and dove out to catch the shot. Miller converted her attempt to the right of a diving Minnehan to decide the shootout.

Dressler put Hamilton (15-1-2 overall) out to an early lead with her school record-tying 13th goal of the season on a through pass from Nicole Tetreault just 32 seconds into the game. Dressler has already set school single-season records for assists (10) and points (36) in 2007.

The score remained 1-0 until the Jumbos (13-3-2) answered with a team-leading 19th goal from Cara Cadigan (Nahant, Mass.) in the 58th minute. Maxwell had the assist. Hamilton's Anne Graveley scored her ninth goal in the 65th minute to put the Continentals back on top, 2-1. Kim Bauer assisted.

Sophomore Fanna Gamal (Albany, Calif.) tied the score again for Tufts in the 70th minute when she corralled a loose ball off a corner kick for her fourth score this year. The goal was unassisted.

Minnehan made three saves for the Jumbos to preserve the tie. Tufts out-shot Hamilton, 33-17. The Jumbos were making their fifth NCAA Tournament appearance.

Hamilton will play Williams College next weekend in one sectional semifinal game at a time and location to be announced Monday morning. The Continentals tied the team record for wins in a season with a 2-0 win against visiting Moravian College on Saturday.