ROCHESTER, N.Y. (November 7, 2010) – Senior midfielder Mary Chew netted the go-ahead goal with just over 30 seconds left in regulation as the third-seeded Stevens Institute of Technology women’s soccer team upended top-seeded Nazareth College at Golden Flyers Stadium in Rochester, N.Y. to capture its first-ever Empire 8 Tournament Championship. With the win the Ducks secured the league’s automatic bid to the upcoming NCAA Tournament. Senior back Alexandra Lyons, who helped hold an explosive Ithaca College and Nazareth College offense to just one goal in two matches as part of a stingy Stevens backline, earned tournament Most Valuable Player honors for her efforts.
Looking to take an early edge, Nazareth senior midfielder Meagan Rivera (Fairport, N.Y.) sent the match’s first corner-kick into the Ducks box in the seventh minute. Following a scramble in front of the goal, Golden Flyers’ junior Kerry Gannon (Newburgh, N.Y.) gathered the loose ball before firing a low shot through traffic toward goal, but Stevens’ junior goalkeeper Kaitlin McClymont made the stop to keep it scoreless.
Just over two and a half minutes later Stevens responded in dramatic fashion, taking an early 1-0 advantage on junior Kathleen Schuckers’ ninth marker of the season. After a Nazareth foul in the midfield, sophomore back Paige Allen played a long free-kick into the Golden Flyers’ 18-yard box. Trying to clear it, a Nazareth defender headed the ball in the air, but a streaking Schuckers found herself alone behind the Golden Flyers’ backline, collecting the loose ball on the right side before ripping a shot past senior netminder Hillary Simon (Homer, N.Y.) to put Stevens ahead.
Looking to build on the momentum, the Ducks continued to push forward, nearly taking a two-goal edge following its first corner of the afternoon. Handling the ball on the left-side, freshman Becky Wos sent a cross to the far-side of the field. Junior Sarah Lehman tracked down the pass just inside the 18-yard box, finding herself in a one-on-one situation with Simon. Lehman beat a charging Simon to the ball, putting a shot on net, but the diving Nazareth keeper smothered the try to keep the Golden Flyers within one.
Following a Nazareth foul in the 17th minute, Allen fired a free-kick from just above the 18-yard box toward the left post, but Simon again made a diving save to deny Stevens’ sophomore back her second goal of the season.
Nazareth would slowly start to build play from the midfield, pushing into the attacking third over the next 15 minutes of action, but a stingy Ducks backline kept the Golden Flyers’ attack at bay, allowing just a pair of shots over that span.
With just over 30 seconds left in the first half, Nazareth drew a Stevens foul, giving the home team a free-kick from a dangerous position. Nazareth sent the ball into the box and following a scramble, punching it into the back of the Ducks’ net, but an offside call disallowed the would-be equalizer as Stevens entered the half with a slim 1-0 edge.
The Ducks would threaten to up the margin early in the second half, firing the frame’s first shot in the first couple minutes of play. Holding it on the right side, Becky Wos sent a through-ball into Schuckers. Receiving the pass, Schuckers turned, slipping a Nazareth defender before sending the ball across the face of the goal, but sophomore transfer Brittany Odgers could not get an initial touch on the cross to send it toward net. Streaking toward the back-post, Chew got a foot on the Schuckers pass, but the ball sailed just high and wide of the Nazareth goal.
Hoping to knot the game at one, senior forward Emily Conte (Caledonia, N.Y.) played a long through-ball to freshman Olivia Derleth (Webster, N.Y.). Derleth split a pair of Duck defenders to track down the pass, but McClymont made an aggressive play, charging off her line to force the shot high over the crossbar. Just over five minutes later, Derleth again had a chance to tie the game, this time sending a swinging shot from the left side toward the far post, but the ball sailed high and just wide right.
Continuing to take the offensive, Nazareth earned a corner-kick with just over 21 minutes left in regulation. Junior midfielder Kelly Kuhn (Rush, N.Y.) then sent the corner into the box finding Conte, who headed it to freshman Sarah Cipperly (Troy, N.Y.). Collecting it on the right side of the box, Cipperly blasted a shot into the roof of the Nazareth goal for the equalizer.
Trying to put the Ducks back on top, Schuckers connected on a volley in the middle of the Nazareth box in the 73rd minute, but the ball sailed just high over the Golden Flyers crossbar. With just over two and a half minutes remaining, Schuckers again received the ball in the Nazareth box, this time eluding a pair of defenders before ripping a shot toward net, but Simon caught the try to preserve the tie.
Still knotted at one with just over 30 seconds left, Chew took a pass on the far left side of the field, hoping to get a shot off before the end of regulation. The senior midfielder would shield the Nazareth defender before quickly turning toward goal and rifling a shot past Simon to seal the Ducks’ first-ever Empire 8 title.