Kim Mirra scored four goals with three coming in the first half. |
HOBOKEN, N.J. – Senior midfielder Jess Soltysik (Pennsauken, N.J./Pennsauken) scored four goals and added one assist and sophomore midfielder Kim Mirra (Aston, Pa./Sun Valley) also scored four goals as Stevens Institute of Technology earned a 14-2 win over Kean University on Wednesday night in the semifinals of the Knickerbocker Women’s Lacrosse Conference tournament.
Stevens (14-2), the tournament’s top seed, will host Manhattanville College on Saturday, May 3, for the inaugural Knickerbocker championship. Second-seeded Manhattanville advanced with a 16-11 win over third-seeded Montclair State. Kean falls to 9-6.
The Ducks scored just 14 seconds into the game on an unassisted goal by sophomore attack Valerie Barnhart (Gilbertsville, Pa./Boyertown). After Kean tied the game on a free-position goal in the seventh minute by Kelly Hamill, Stevens scored five straight goals from five different players in a span of nine minutes to take control. Barnhart’s goal in the 10th minute gave the Ducks the lead for good. Stevens then converted on four straight free position opportunities to take a 6-1 lead.
Kean sophomore Melissa Nunez scored at the 21:50 mark to pull the Cougars within four goals, but Stevens scored three goals in the final 1:01 of the first half to open up 9-2 halftime lead. The Ducks held the Cougars scoreless in the second half as they added five more goals.
Stevens held a 25-20 advantage in shots. Senior goalkeeper Kristine Conley (Ossining, N.Y./Our Lady of Victory) turned in a strong effort with 10 saves. Anupama Bedi had seven saves for Kean after relieving starter Adriane Damiano.
Sophomore Rebecca Quinn (Damascus, Md./Damascus) added three goals and one assist for Stevens while junior Lindy Gibbons (Worcester, Mass./Worcester Academy) also scored in the first half.
STEVENS 14, KEAN 2
SCORING SUMMARY:
Prd Time Team Goal Scorer Assists
------------------------------------------------------------
1. 1st 0:14 ST BARNHART, Valerie Unassisted
2. 1st 6:44 KEAN HAMILL, Kelly Free position shot
3. 1st 9:53 ST BARNHART, Valerie Unassisted
4. 1st 10:29 ST MIRRA, Kim Free position shot
5. 1st 14:17 ST QUINN, Rebecca Free position shot
6. 1st 17:26 ST GIBBONS, Lindy Free position shot
7. 1st 18:37 ST SOLTYSIK, Jess Free position shot
8. 1st 21:50 KEAN NUNEZ, Melissa Unassisted
9. 1st 28:59 ST SOLTYSIK, Jess Unassisted
10. 1st 29:38 ST MIRRA, Kim Free position shot
11. 1st 29:52 ST MIRRA, Kim SOLTYSIK, Jess
12. 2nd 32:29 ST QUINN, Rebecca BARNHART, Valerie
13. 2nd 33:21 ST SOLTYSIK, Jess QUINN, Rebecca
14. 2nd 45:10 ST QUINN, Rebecca Unassisted
15. 2nd 56:20 ST MIRRA, Kim Free position shot
16. 2nd 57:28 ST SOLTYSIK, Jess Unassisted
Stevens SCORING: GOALS: SOLTYSIK, Jess 4; MIRRA, Kim 4; QUINN, Rebecca 3;
BARNHART, Valerie 2; GIBBONS, Lindy 1.
ASSISTS: BARNHART, Valerie 1; QUINN, Rebecca 1; SOLTYSIK, Jess 1.
Kean SCORING: GOALS: HAMILL, Kelly 1; NUNEZ, Melissa 1.
ASSISTS: None.
