Box Score Williamstown, MA – The #20 Vassar College Women's Soccer team saw its historic season come to an end Saturday afternoon after dropping a hard fought 1-0 battle to the University of Mary Washington in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament. The Brewers close the season with a program record 16 victories, its first ever Liberty League Title and a second straight appear ne in the NCAA Tournament.
The Brewers finish the season with a 16-4 overall record, while Mary Washington improves to 13-3-4 overall and will take on Williams Sunday afternoon in the Second Round.
How It Happened
- Mary Washington started strong on Saturday, forcing a pair of Laura Shea (Swarthmore, PA) saves over the first 5:35 of the contest.
- Vassar's first shot of the game came from Cecelia Wager (Brookline, MA) in the 11th minute.
- The Brewers finished the opening 45 minutes with just three shots and did not put an attempt on frame prior to halftime.
- Shea kept the Eagles off the board in the first half with four saves for the Brewers.
- Vassar upped the pressure coming out of halftime, getting off three shots over the first nine minutes of the half.
- All three attempts coming off corner kicks were blocked by the Mary Washington backline.
- Following the opening flurry from the Brewers, Mary Washington cashed in the only goal of the game in the 61st minute.
- Cassidy Shaw found the top right corner of the goal from the left wing, finishing off a pass from Emma McMullan, at 60:33 for what proved to be the game winning goal.
- After the Eagles took the lead with just under a half hour left in the game, Vassar outshot Mary Washington 5-0.
- Gianna Panarelli (Jensen Beach, FL) forced Mary Washington's Emily Orn to make her first save of the came in the 76th minute.
- Sonya Franklin (Lancaster, PA) followed that up with the Brewers best chance of the half when she missed outside the right post in the 84th minute.
- Elena Valle (Rocky Hill, CT) forced Orn to make a save in the final seconds with the Brewers last shot of the day.
- Vassar outshot Mary Washington 8-5 after halftime.
- Orn closed the second stanza with a trio of saves to keep the Brewers off the board.
- Second half corner kicks went to the Eagles by a slim 3-2 margin.
For The Brewers
- Shea closed the game with the four first half saves and finishes the season with 60 saves for the Brewers.
- Franklin and Panarelli each led the Brewers with three shots apiece, including one shot on goal.
- Valle added a shot on goal for Vassar.
- Rebecca Rodrguez (Santa Barabra, CA), Wager and Lucy Hart (Portland, ME) all played the full 90 minutes.
- The Vassar senior class of Rodriguez, Lily Brigman (Mebane, NC), Riley McGrath (Coronado, CA), Lucy Getzin (Ithaca, NY), Lindsey Nihei (Honolulu, HI), Jessica Bowman (Larchmont, NY) and Livy Soble (Pleasanton, CA) close their careers leading the Brewers to 44 victories, the program's first league crown and two NCAA Tournament appearances.
For The Eagles
- Shaw scored her second goal of the season and her first game winning goal.
- Emma McMullan recorded her first assist of the season.
- Orn produced her seventh shutout of the season with a trio of second half saves.
Game Statistics
- Mary Washington finished the day outshooting Vassar 13-11 overall and 5-3 in shots on goal.
- Corner kicks went to the Eagles by a 7-3 count.
