HOBOKEN, N.J. (October 24, 2009) – Sophomore forward Kathleen Schuckers netted her seventh marker of the season in the waning moments of regulation to lead the Stevens Institute of Technology women's soccer team to a 1-0 victory over league rival Hartwick College. The Ducks' win, coupled with a loss by Rochester Institute of Technology to Elmira College earlier in the day, ensures Stevens a spot in the 2009 Empire 8 women's soccer conference championship.
The aggressors early, Hartwick registered nine of the match's first 10 shots, generating several scoring opportunities through the first 15 minutes of action. Stevens sophomore netminder Kaitlin McClymont , tested early and often, made four saves during the stretch, including a sliding kick-save on Hawks' senior forward Lauren Ploof (Hammond, N.Y.), who found herself alone in the box in the 35th minute. The Corpus Christi, Texas native finished the first half with five saves, helping to preserve the scoreless tie.
Having been outshot 14-4 in the first stanza, Stevens pushed forward hoping to apply pressure of their own tallying eight shots in the first 10 minutes of the second half. Schuckers helped the Ducks generate their first solid scoring chance in the 46th minute, beating a Hartwick defender to a failed clearance before making a run up the left side. The Lincoln Park, N.J. native would find a streaking Gia Gonzales in the middle of the box, but the rookie sent the shot high after settling a bouncing Schuckers cross.
Schuckers and Gonzales would once again connect just over a minute later, when Schuckers made a run down the right side of the pitch before finding a trailing Gonzales who sent the ensuing shot off the post, narrowly missing an opportunity to put the Ducks ahead.
Gonzales would give Stevens another opportunity to take the lead in the 65th minute, sending a corner-kick over the head of Hawks' sophomore goalkeeper Alyssa Rondo (Saco, Maine), but Stevens was unable to put a foot on the ball, missing a chance to capitalize on the Hartwick open net.
Still mired in a defensive struggle, junior midfielder Mary Chew created another Ducks' scoring chance in the 69th minute, pushing the ball into the attacking third before finding fellow junior Katria Misilo on the left side of the pitch. Misilo then found Schuckers with a through ball to the middle of the box, but the sophomore sent the shot just wide right.
Undeterred, the Ducks continued to attack the Hawks defense, with their persistence finally paying off in the 87th minute when Schuckers took advantage of a hole in the Hartwick backline. The forward would find some open space while making a run down the right side before firing a shot off Rondo and into the right side of Hawk net.
Despite being outshot 18-16, Stevens held a 12-4 shots advantage in the second half. The Ducks also held a 3-1 edge in second-half corners. McClymont finished with seven saves en route to her fourth win of the season. Stevens is now 5-11-0 overall on the season, with a 4-3-0 league ledger.
