Box Score
ITHACA, N.Y. (November 3, 2012) – On a soggy pitch at Carp Wood Field on the campus of Ithaca College, the Stevens Institute of Technology women's soccer team fell in penalty kicks to Nazareth College in the Empire 8 Conference semifinal match. Stevens was the two-time defending Empire 8 champion and ends its season with a 10-6-2 record. Both teams endured a wintry mix of weather throughout the entirety of the showdown.

Nazareth wasted no time to get on the board, as Sarah Eichelberger ripped a strike from the top of the box after Elizabeth Howell passed up on an attempt from 12 yards out. The opening goal came with 42:28 remaining in the first half.

The Golden Flyers has an opportunity to go up 2-0 not even two minutes later on a breakaway by Olivia Derleth but Stevens' goalkeeper Melissa Murphy (Pompton Plains, N.J.) ran out of the net to contest the shot and force it wide left.

With 27:16 left in the half, sophomore forward Ann Heine (Sammamish, Wash.) took an open-goal shot after Nazareth's goalkeeper left her line to challenge the opening through ball but Heine's attempt was blocked. An attempted clear by the Golden Flyers was corralled by junior midfielder Lindsay Stoll (Bellevue, Wash.) and her strike found the back of the net as the ball floated above the outstretched arms of Abbie Carey to knot the score at 1-1.

Stevens' defense came up clutch with 12 minutes to go in the half to block a shot and clear the Nazareth pressure from the doorstep of the net. Murphy came out of goal again to gain possession on a cross but slipped and allowed a Golden Flyers player to a send a cross into the box for the open attempt.

Murphy kept the game at one a piece heading into the half as Ashley Paris registered the final shot on goal of the opening 45 minutes with just three seconds to go. Murphy saved the strike from 15 yards out to record one of her six saves in the match.

The first true threat for a scoring opportunity for both sides in the second half came with just over 20 minutes left in regulation. Nazareth was awarded a 2v1 chance after a through ball deep into the Stevens defense, but Murphy contested the shot attempt and forced the shot wide of the net.

Three minutes later, the Ducks earned a free kick from the end line off a foul. Junior midfielder Bridgette Barden (Redondo Beach, Calif.) attempted a header in the middle of the 18 off a feed from freshman forward Carly Bean (Williamson, N.Y.) but Carey made a sprawling save for the Golden Flyers.

In the waning moments of the first overtime period, Nazareth made one final push down the field and sent a pass into the box but another heads up play by Murphy cleared the ball out on a diving kick to send the contest into the final 10-minute overtime frame.

Nazareth prevailed in the penalty shootout, 3-1. The first Golden Flyers attempt was made and the Ducks immediately fell into a hole after Barden put her attempt off the crossbar. After saves by each goalkeeper, Nazareth went up 2-1 after another make and a good shot by senior midfielder Nicole Serino (Parsippany, N.J.). Nazareth ended the match on its third good try and a save by Carey on the Ducks' final attempt.

In an evenly contested match throughout, shots were in favor of Nazareth, 17-16, as were corner kicks, 9-2.

Barden and sophomore back Bella Romano (Harrington Park, N.J.) were named to the All-Tournament Team at the conclusion of the championship.

Stevens will wait and see if it earned a spot in the upcoming ECAC Tournament in the upcoming week.