WILLIAMSBURG, Va. - The
William and Mary women's soccer team dropped a hard-fought match to Hofstra in
the semifinals of the 2012 Colonial Athletic Association Tournament on Friday
night from Martin Family Stadium at Albert-Daly Field. After a scoreless 110 minutes of action, the
contest went into penalty kicks from which Hofstra prevailed for the win, 4-2.
The Tribe falls to 14-5-1 on the season, while Hofstra
improves to 10-8-2 overall and advances to the CAA title match, where they will
face UNCW at Martin Family Stadium at Albert-Daly Field on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m.
In a defensive minded first half, opportunities were scarce
for both squads. However, the Tribe
generated a quality look on frame in the 22nd minute courtesy of freshman
Barbara Platenberg, who launched a header on goal but was denied by Hofstra's
junior keeper Emily Morphitis. Moments
later, the Pride responded with an attempt of their own when sophomore Sam
Scolarici's attempt on goal was thwarted away by Tribe freshman keeper Caroline
Casey. The opening half ended with the
Pride holding the edge in shots, 6-5, and shots on goal, 3-1.
Before Hofstra tallied a shot in the second period, the
Tribe reeled off five unanswered attempts to start the final stanza. Senior Cortlyn Bristol initiated the attack
as she blasted a shot on goal that was saved by Morphitis in the 47th minute.
As it had done all half, the College continued to dominate
the possession battle and was on the verge of scoring the night's first goal in
the 70th minute. After senior Mallory Schaffer's first attempt was blocked, Bristol was there on the one timed
bounce, but her shot sailed just high of frame.
Late in the half, sophomore Emory Camper sent a look on goal that was
saved in the 88th minute as the match headed into overtime.
In the first overtime session, Hofstra applied the pressure
early as it tallied three attempts in the 10-minute frame. However, Casey was there on every occasion as
the Chesapeake, Va., native kept the Pride off the scoreboard. After the second overtime time period didn't
yield a goal, the scoreless match went into penalty kicks.
W&M and Hofstra both netted their first two PK
attempts. For the College, it was
juniors Dani Rutter and Ali Heck who accounted for the makes. After Hofstra went up 3-2 on sophomore Anya
Koren's tally, Morphitis saved Bristol's tying shot to close the third-round. On their next attempt, HU's senior Brooke
Bendernagel put the Pride ahead, 4-2.
Needing to connect on their next two attempts, W&M's freshman Nicole Baxter launched an aggressive shot that seemed destined for the back of the
net, however Morphitis came up with the game ending stop.
In 110 minutes of action on Friday night, the Green and Gold
outshot the Pride, 15-13, but Hofstra held the advantage in shots on goal,
10-3. Both squads generated two corner
kicks while Hofstra was whistled for 17 fouls compared to the Tribe's nine. Between the posts, Casey finished the night making
a career-high 10 saves, while Morphitis collected three.
The College will now turn its attention to the NCAA Selection Show on Monday, Nov. 5, as it looks for an at-large bid into the 2012 NCAA Tournament.
