Women’s Soccer Edges Western New England in Shootout 5-4, Advances to CCC Semifinals

QUINCY, Mass.- The Eastern Nazarene College women's soccer team moved onto the semifinals of the Commonwealth Coast Conference for the second time in three years after prevailing in a shootout 5-4 over Western New England in the quarterfinal Saturday afternoon at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

The third-seed Lions move to 9-9-1 overall with the result and advance to the semifinal round where they will host Wentworth November 4 after the seventh-seeded Leopards upset second-seeded Endicott 4-2.

With the match ending in a 1-1 draw after 110 minutes, the game headed to penalty kicks to decide the victor.

After each team sent five kick-takers to the spot, the score remained level at 4-4. Justine Buchanan (Ballston Spa, N.Y.), Katherine Lawrence (Marlborough, Conn.), Hannah Scahill (Quaker Hill, Conn.) and Sam Williams (Forest Hill, Md.) all converted from the penalty spot for the home team.

In the first head-to-head round, the Golden Bears' Briana Kubik's attempt hit the crossbar and stayed out of the cage to give Eastern Nazarene an opportunity to win. Senior Maleesa Santos (Colonie, N.Y.) calmly strode to the spot and buried the game-winner to send the Lions into the semifinals.

Western New England jumped out to a 1-0 advantage in the 27th minute. Becca Mercieri poked in a loose ball inside the six-yard box after the Lions' goalkeeper mishandled a cross from the left wing to notch her fourth score of the year.

Both squads fired five shots and earned one corner kick in the first half of play.

The Lions bombarded the visitors' goal in the second period in search of an equalizer. Eastern Nazarene broke through in the 84th minute to even the contest at 1-1. Scahill headed in a corner kick delivery from Jules Speno (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.) to collect her team-leading eight tally of the season.

The home team recorded 18 shots in regulation while limiting the Golden Bears to just six.

The Lions finished the match with 20 shots on the day after outshooting Western New England 2-0 in the overtime sessions.

Junior Kristen Farley (Westminster, Mass.) made one save between the pipes for Eastern Nazarene and also turned aside one penalty kick in the shootout. Kubik stopped seven shots in net for the Golden Bears on the day.