GENEVA, N.Y.--The William Smith College soccer team will meet SUNY-Oneonta on Sun., Nov. 5, for the NCAA Division III Northeast Regional Championship, after the Herons notched a 2-1 victory over Nazareth College, while the Red Dragons needed two overtime periods to get past Western Connecticut State University, 1-0.
William Smith (13-4-1) got on the board early when first-year Stephanie Leveille (Ossining/Ossining, N.Y.) took advantage of a misplayed ball by Nazareth junior goalie Kim French (Webster, N.Y.). As the Golden Flyers (13-3-3) tried to play a ball across the back, French started to come out of the goal, hesitated and then continued. It was all the opening Leveille needed, as she intercepted the pass, ran past French, and scored just 23 seconds into the game.
Nazareth equalized in the eighth minute when sophomore Jaime Snyder (Allegany, N.Y.) converted a penalty kick. The goal snapped junior goalie Leah Cornwell's (Wheatland-Chili/Caledonia, N.Y.) shutout streak at 440:54. She finished with three saves. The Herons reclaimed the lead in the 25th minute when sophomore Kristin Perrigo (Liverpool/Liverpool, N.Y.) converted a penalty kick, for her team-leading eighth goal of the season.
In the second half, Nazareth controlled the flow of the game, outshooting the Herons 4-0, but couldn't solve Cornwell or the William Smith back-liners.
"I think we controlled the play in the first half, and Nazareth controlled the second half," William Smith Head Coach Aliceann Wilber said. "Fortunately we got an early chance and capitalized on it, and the penalty kicks cancelled each other out."
The Herons had to wait more than 116 minutes to find out who they would face in Sunday's regional championship. Oneonta (20-1-0) dominated the match statistically, outshooting the Colonials 14-2, and holding a 9-1 advantage in corner kicks.
The Colonials (17-4-1) were able to keep the Red Dragons off the scoreboard thanks to the stellar play of first-year goalie Kristen Bartholomew (Bethel, Conn.). She finished with eight saves. Oneonta secured a berth in the regional championship in the 117th minute, when senior Elizabeth McGrail (Stamford, N.Y.) banked a shot off the crossbar and in for her 18th goal of the season.
William Smith beat Oneonta early this season in the Herons' home opener, 3-0.
--HWS SPORTS--
