2009 NCAA Division III

Women's Soccer Championship

Williamstown Sectional

Saturday, November 21

and

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Saturday's Schedule

11:00 am
#23 TCNJ 1, #2 Williams 0

BOX SCORE • GAME STORY • PHOTOS
1:30 pm
#15 Ithaca 2, Rowan 1 (OT)

BOX SCORE • GAME STORY • PHOTOS

Sunday's Schedule
TCNJ 1, Ithaca 0 -TCNJ advances to national semifinals in San Antonio, Tx, Dec. 4-5.

BOX SCORE  • GAME STORY • PHOTOS

ALL THREE GAMES WILL BE WEBCAST -- CLICK THIS LINK TO WATCH

WILLIAMSTOWN, MA -- Williams College has been selected by the NCAA Tournament committee to host one of four sectionals of the NCAA Division III Women’s Soccer Tournament this weekend.

Joining the Ephs on Cole Field this Saturday and Sunday will be The College of New Jersey, Rowan University and Ithaca College.

Williams (19-0-0) and TCNJ (18-2-1) will face off at 11:00 a.m. in Saturday’s first game, to be followed by the Rowan (17-2-1) vs. Ithaca (15-4-2) match at 1:30 p.m.

Saturday’s winners will meet at 1:00 PM on Sunday for the right to advance to the national semifinals, slated for San Antonio, Texas on Dec. 4-5.

Ticket prices each day:  $6 Adults, $3 Students, $3 Seniors and $2 Children.  All three games this weekend will be webcast. Click HERE to watch.

Michelyne Pinard’s 19-0-0 Ephs won their third consecutive NESCAC title this fall and are making their 4th NCAA appearance under her direction and 11th overall. All-time the Ephs are 12-9-4 in NCAA play and under Pinard have compiled a record of 7-2-1; finishing third in the NCAA Tournament last fall.

The Ephs are led in points by sophomore forward Brett Eisenhart, who has a team-high 15 goals, tying the single-season record at Williams. Junior forward Annelise Snyder is second with 31 points (12 goals, 7 assists), while senior forward Sarah Walmsley has compiled 29 points (8 goals, team-high 13 assists).

Williams had six players named All-NESCAC. Senior midfielder Brianna Wolfson (4 goals, 6 assists, 14 points) was named the NESCAC Player of the Year, and was joined on the First Team by junior midfielder Sara Wild and junior back Kara Duggan.
 
Senior goalie Lauren Sinnenberg who earlier this season shared time in goal with junior Julia Schreiber, has logged the most time of late with Schreiber injured. Sinnenberg has played 1,089 minutes, allowing seven goals for a goals against average of 0.58. She has 47 saves and a save percentage of .870.

The Ephs defeated Keuka College in the first round, 5-0, and edged Oneonta State 2-1 in the second round on a Snyder goal in the 80th minute.

The College of New Jersey (18-2-1) is making its 19th straight NCAA tournament appearance. The Lions have won three national titles (1993, 1994, 2000). Last year, the Lions lost to Williams in the third round, in Williamstown, by a 2-1 score.

Joe Russo is in his 20th season as head coach of TCNJ. Last weekend, his Lions defeated Plattsburgh State, 2-0, in the first round and then blanked Amherst in Amherst, 4-0, in a second round match.

In the win over Amherst, senior goalkeeper Jessica Clarke made nine saves, a season-high, en route to posting her 14th shutout of the season. A 2nd Team All-NJAC selection, Clarke has a 0.29 goals against average and a .875 save percentage.

Junior midfielder Casey Caruso leads TCNJ with 23 points and 10 goals. Junior forward Briann McDonough, a First Team All-NJAC selection, is second with 22 points (7 goals, 8 assists). Lion midfielders Annie McCarthy and freshman Eva Gimello were also All-NJAC First Team selections.

Rowan University (17-2-1) advanced to the third round by defeating Rochester 1-0, on a goal by junior Jess Babice in the 77th minute. In the first round, the Profs knocked off MIT, 3-0.

Scott Leacott is in his 11th season as the head coach at Rowan, which is making its fifth straight NCAA Tournament appearance and sixth overall.

Babice was one of five Profs to be selected First Team All-NJAC. She was also the NJAC Offensive Player of the Year and currently leads Rowan with 48 points and 21 goals, 8 of which have been game-winners. Sophomore Veronica Rhea, another First Team All-NJAC member, is second on the squad with 42 points (13 goals, 16 assists).

Other members of the All-NJAC First Team include midfielders Christie Fink and Krista Verzi, a sophomore and senior, respectively. In addition, sophomore back Christine Foy was tabbed the NJAC Defensive Player of the Year. Rowan senior back Caitlin Toomey was also a First Teamer.

In all, nine of the 13 spots on the NJAC First Team were either from Rowan or TCNJ.

Ithaca (15-4-2) advanced to the third round by tying 2008 national semifinalist William Smith, 0-0, and advancing on penalty kicks, 5-4. The Bombers defeated Muhlenberg 1-0 in the first round.

Ithaca won its seventh Empire 8 Conference Tournament championship with a 2-0 win over Nazareth. The Bombers placed eight team members on the Empire 8 All-Star Teams. The Bombers are coached by Mindy Quigg, now in her 16th season.

Senior midfielder Amy Scheffer was named the Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Year; she is currently tied with freshman Rachael Palladino, a forward, for the team lead in points with 31. Scheffer has 14 goals and 3 assists on the season, while Palladino has 12 goals and 7 assists.

In addition, junior back Andrea Janda was named the Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Year. Joining Scheffer, Palladino and Janda on the First Team was Lauren Koppel, a graduate student who has scored 11 goals and assisted 5 others this season. Her 27 points is third on the squad.

The Bombers have used two goalkeepers primarily this season. Alyssa Sotomayor has made 11 starts and has a 0.79 GAA and a .818 save percentage. Jessica Platt has made six starts and she also has a 0.79 GAA and a .733 save percentage.