Rebecca Quinn headed in the game-winning goal in the 33rd minute. |
HOBOKEN, N.J. – Junior Rebecca Quinn (Damascus, Md./Damascus) headed in a free kick from Valerie Barnhart (Gilbertsville, Pa./Boyertown) in the 33rd minute as top-seeded Stevens Institute of Technology went on to a 3-0 win over fourth-seeded St. Joseph’s-Patchogue on Wednesday afternoon in the semifinals of the Skyline Conference women’s soccer tournament at DeBaun Field.
Stevens (12-6-1) will play Centenary College in the championship game on Saturday at DeBaun Field. For the first time, the Skyline Conference champion receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championship. Centenary defeated Manhattanville, 5-0, in the other semifinal game held in Hackettstown, N.J. St. Joseph’s falls to 11-8.
The Ducks were finally able to break through a compact St. Joseph’s defense late in the first half. Following a foul 30 yards from the goal on the left wing, Barnhart sent a cross into the box and Quinn headed a shot past goalkeeper Lisa Paiva and into the upper right corner at 32:57.
Stevens extended its lead eight minutes later when junior Kim Mirra (Aston, Pa./Sun Valley) sent a free kick into the penalty area and junior Milia George (Massapequa Park, N.Y./Massapequa) headed a shot into the upper left corner at 40:29.
Freshman Heather Dean (Renton, Wash./Charles A. Lindbergh) scored off a corner kick in the 81st minute to extend the lead to 3-0.
The Ducks held a 20-4 advantage in shots and an 8-0 edge in corner kicks. The Golden Eagles had an excellent scoring opportunity early in the second half as junior Justine Salpietro hit the right post in the 49th minute, but Stevens freshman goalkeeper Erica Midttveit (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Memorial) was able to corral the rebound. Midttveit earned the shutout with one save while Paiva had nine saves for St. Joseph’s
STEVENS 3, ST. JOSEPH’S-PATCHOGUE 0
#4 St. Joseph’s (11-8-0) 0 0 - 0
#1 Stevens (12-6-1) 2 1 - 3
SIT Rebecca Quinn (Valerie Barnhart) 32:57
SIT Milia George (Kim Mirra) 40:29
SIT Heather Dean (Kim Mirra) 80:15
Shots: SJC 4; SIT 20
Corner Kicks: SJC 0; SIT 8
Saves: SJC 9 (Lisa Paiva); SIT 1 (Erica Midttveit)
