Box Score

GENEVA, NY (November 6, 2010) – After 110 minutes of scoreless soccer on the road against No. 10 NSCAA nationally ranked William Smith College in the Liberty League Championship, the Vassar College women's soccer team suffered a narrow 4-3 defeat in the shootout Saturday afternoon at Cozzens Field.

The game is reflected as a tie in Vassar's record which is now 12-5-2. Although the program's first ever trip to the Liberty League playoffs did not produce a championship, the Brewers still have good chance to earn an at-large bid to the NCAA Championships and await the announcement of the brackets scheduled for a live webcast on NCAA.com this Monday, November 8 at 9:00 a.m. The Herons are now 14-2-3 overall, and earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament.

Both Vassar and William Smith found the back of the net on the first round of penalty kicks as Maggie Bernay scored for William Smith and senior captain Rachel Shea converted for Vassar. Senior captain Carolyn Demougeot consolidated a William Smith miss to put the Brewers up 2-1 in the second round. Senior Colleen Richards scored her penalty kick, and junior goalie Amanda Davis followed with a save of freshman Gavriella Seyfi's attempt, the only save of the shootout, to tie it up at 2-2 after three rounds. Vassar senior captain Allison McManis and William Smith junior Leah Shatkin both scored to maintain the tie at 3-3. Sophomore Renee Jensen scored for a 4-3 lead to open the fifth round. Vassar's final penalty kick from junior Alix Zongrone sailed just wide right and the Herons won their fourth straight Liberty League Championship.

The majority of the first half was played in the middle third of the field with William Smith out shooting Vassar just 4-1. In the second half, the Herons took control this time holding an 11-0 advantage in shots. William Smith had a few opportunities late in the second half to break the scoreless tie.

With 10 minutes remaining in regulation, junior Leslie Carrese fired a shot on goal, but Vassar's sophomore goalie Ali Higgins made the diving save. With just 1:22 left on the clock, senior BreLynn Nasypany took a shot from close range, but Higgins managed to deflect it away.

In the first overtime, William Smith took three shots. On Heron corner kick, a shot by junior Jessie Tarantino, the tournament MVP, was blocked by a Brewer defender. A few minutes later, a shot by sophomore Emily Harris was also blocked.

Demougeot fired a shot on goal for Vassar in the 103rd minute, but Davis made the save. It was the only one she needed to make in the game. In the 104th minute, sophomore Whitney Frary took a shot on goal that was saved. Higgins finished with nine saves in goal for the Brewers. William Smith held a 19-2 advantage in shots and a 10-1 lead in corner kicks.

William Smith defeated the Vassar 4-0 during the regular season so the Brewers can appreciate their recent progress and take solace in the fact that they nearly upset a top 10 nationally ranked team. The Brewers tied William Smith for the first time in program and defeated every other team in the league this season.

The 2010 Liberty League All-Tournament Team:

Jessie Tarantino, MVP, William Smith College
BreLynn Nasypany, William Smith College
Jamie Sawyer, William Smith College
Kelsey Hill, William Smith College
Amanda Davis, William Smith College
Alix Zongrone, Vassar College
Rachel Shea, Vassar College
Carolyn Demougeot, Vassar College
Ali Higgins, Vassar College
Alex Rimmer, Hamilton College
Kelsey Yam, Skidmore College