Box Score

HOBOKEN, N.J. - (November 9, 2013) – The Stevens Institute of Technology field hockey team fell in the Empire 8 Championship semifinals to St. John Fisher College Saturday afternoon at the De Baun Athletic Complex.
 
Despite huge edges in shots – 40-14 – and penalty corners – 27-6 – was unable to extend a 1-0 lead and the fourth-seeded Cardinals scored two goals over a span of 1:54 in the second half to overcome the No. 1 seed Ducks (12-7).
 
The Ducks jumped on the board at 3:47 when sophomore midfielder Erin Silvestri (Beverly, Mass.) controlled a loose ball, took it into the circle and hammered a shot into the upper-left corner for her third goal of the year. The shot came from straight-on, about 12-yards away.
 
The score remained 1-0 until halftime, with the Ducks controlling the action, but struggling to find the net. Sophomore goalkeeper Danielle Famolaro deserves a great deal of credit for the Cardinals (10-9), making eight stops in the first half and 19 for the game.
 
In the second half, the Cardinals pulled even when Marissa Vedella was able to track down a loose ball that scooted across the mouth of the goal and tuck her shot inside the lower-right corner from three yards away.
 
Elizabeth Cusack gave the guests the lead for good at 53:13, less than two minutes after the equalizer, receiving an insert on a penalty corner and putting her shot inside the right post.
 
The Ducks pounded away on the Fisher defense but were unable to score, with Fisher getting a plethora of saves from Famolaro and a huge defensive save from Liz Baldwin late in the game.
 
The final goal of the game was scored by junior Stacie Skidmore via a breakaway and empty net with 29 seconds remaining.
 
Freshman goalkeeper Emily Stukenborg (Stockholm, N.J.) made six saves for Stevens.
 
St. John Fisher will play second-seeded Utica College for the Empire 8 title and an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament Sunday in Hoboken at 1 p.m.