Williams Overcomes Middlebury 3-2 for Thrid-Straight Women's Soccer Crown
Courtesy Williams Sports Information
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. – Top-seeded Williams overcame
third-seeded Middlebury, 3-2, in a highly-contested NESCAC
Championship at Cole Field in Williamstown this afternoon. The win
marks the Ephs’ third consecutive conference championship and
their fourth overall title.
Middlebury falls to 11-3-2, while Williams continues their undefeated season at 17-0-0. The Ephs receive an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament with this afternoon’s victory.
The two squads faced off in the final game of their regular season on Oct. 30, 2009 with Williams taking the contest by a 1-0 margin. Ephs senior Sarah Walmsley tallied a late-goal in the 87th-minute to win a game that the Panthers dominated. In today’s championship game, Williams and Middlebury switched momentum often with the Ephs controlling much of the first third and last third of the game. The Panthers would take the momentum in the middle of the game, when they scored two goals to take the lead for just over fifteen minutes.
Williams sophomore Bret Eisenhart tallied two goals this afternoon, putting her squad up first in the 25th-minute of play. Eisenhart and teammate Brianna Wolfson found themselves in a 2-on-1 match up against a lone Middlebury defender. Wolfson drew the defender in, and then flicked the ball to an open Eisenhart who ripped a fast-paced shot to the middle of the net for the 1-0 lead.
Middlebury responded nine minutes later with one of their first offensive opportunities of the game. The Panther’s Rachel Madding corralled a corner kick, and attempted to head the ball to net. Teammate Anne Ford intercepted the ball with another header, and directed it towards goal to knot the game, 1- 1. The Panthers proceeded to silence the home crowd by taking the lead at 55:09. Annie Rowell took advantage of a fallen Ephs defender, and was able to lace a slow roller to the back left corner for the 2-1 advantage.
Williams played from behind for fifteen minutes before taking the control of the game once again. At 71:24, Walmsley scored off a fast-break sequence to even the game at two goals apiece. Nicole Stenquist had just entered the game twenty seconds ago, and had an instant impact. Collecting a pass from Annelise Snyder near mid-field, Stenquist dribbled towards the Panther’s net and quickly spotted an undefended Walmsley on her left. Stenquist played a solid pass to her teammate, who proceeded to take an open shot for the goal.
Momentum began to shift back towards the Ephs, and the home team regained the lead just eight minutes later off another sequence between Eisenhart and Wolfson. Wolfson played a cross from the left side towards a crowd of players in front of the net. The ball began to trail past the far post, and Eisenhart read its path and retreated towards the ball. She kicked the ball back towards the left post for what would become the game-winning goal.
Statistically, Middlebury and Williams were on par, taking 11 and 12 shots respectively. The Panthers held the Ephs to their lowest total of shots taken on the season.
Lauren Sinnenberg recorded five saves in the win, while Lauryn Torch made three saves in the loss.
2009 NESCAC WOMEN’S
SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP
Quarterfinals - Sunday, November 1 at Higher Seeds
at
No. 1 Williams 4, No. 8 Colby 0
at
No. 2 Amherst 2, No. 7 Williams 1 - OT
at
No. 3 Middlebury 1, No. 6 Bowdoin 0 - OT
at
No. 4 Tufts 2, No. 5 Trinity 1
Semifinals - Saturday,
November 7 at Williams
at
No. 1 Williams 4, No. 4 Tufts 2
No. 3
Middlebury 1, vs. No. 2 Amherst 0
Championship - Sunday,
November 8
at No. 1 Williams 3, No. 3 Middlebury 2
