Poughkeepsie, NY – Junior
Gianna Panarelli (Jensen Beach, FL) scored 20 seconds into overtime, sending the #20 Vassar College Women's Soccer team to the Liberty League Championship Final with a hard fought 1-0 victory over fifth seeded Ithaca Friday afternoon in the Liberty League Championship Semifinal Round. Sophomore
Laura Shea (Swarthmore, PA) kept Ithaca off the board with four saves in goal.
Friday's victory, Vassar's fourth straight, moves the Brewers to 15-3 overall on the season, while Ithaca closes the campaign at 8-6-4.
How It Happened
- Tightly contested throughout, the contest went the first 90 minutes with nothing decided.
- Ithaca closed the opening 445 minutes with a 6-4 advantage in shots.
- Each team took one corner kick prior to halftime.
- Shea and Ithaca goalkeeper, Katrina Varnum, each made two stops over the opening stanza.
- The second half featured just five total shots, with Ithaca posting a 3-2 edge in attempts.
- Vassar held a slim 2-1 advantage in corner kicks in the second half.
- Shea held the game scoreless with two more saves in the second frame.
- Varnum turned aside a single Vassar shot in the second 45 minutes.
- After a scoreless 90 minutes, it took Vassar just 20 seconds to find the game winner in overtime.
- Panarelli unleashed an initial shot from the top of the box that was stopped by Varnum, but collected the rebound and deposited the game winner to send Vassar to its first Championship Final since 2019.
For The Brewers
- Panarelli scored for the third straight game and for the fifth game in the last six on Friday with her ninth goal of the season. Panarelli's matches the team lead in game winning goals with four and points with 21.
- Shea earned her 14th victory in goal and recorded her sixth clean sheet of the season with Friday's four-save performance.
- Shea now holds an .813 save percentage and a 0.76 goals against average while making 52 saves.
- Panarelli led the team with three shots, putting two on frame.
- Sonya Franklin (Lancaster, PA) added two shots on goal.
- Lucy Hart (Portland, ME) finished with the Brewers' other shot on target.
For The Bombers
- Varnum suffered the loss in goal with four saves.
- Lilyana Baldi, Devin Sylvia and Lily Fusco each led the team with two shots.
Game Statistics
- Ithaca outshot Vassar overall 9-8.
- The Brewers finished with a slim 5-4 advantage in shots on goal.
- Corner kicks in the contest went to the Brewers by a 3-2 margin.
What's Next
- Vassar will play host to #3 seed RIT on Sunday in the Championship Final at Gordon Field.
