Veraja
Mike McLaughlin
0
Stevens STE (10-7-4, 5-1-2)
1
Winner Wesleyan (CT) WES (16-1-2, 8-1-1)
Stevens STE
(10-7-4, 5-1-2)
0
Final
1
Wesleyan (CT) WES
(16-1-2, 8-1-1)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Stevens STE 0 0 0
Wesleyan (CT) WES 0 1 1

Game Recap: Women's Soccer | | Stevens Athletic Communications

Women’s Soccer Falls to No. 14 Wesleyan in NCAA Second Round

Ducks season comes to a close in NCAA Second Round

MIDDLETOWN, Conn. (November 14, 2021)  – Senior Izzy DiDario matched a season high with eight saves, but a goal in the 81st minute sent No. 14 Wesleyan University over the Stevens Institute of Technology women's soccer team 1-0 Sunday in an NCAA Tournament Second Round match contested on a blustery Smith Field. 

After Wesleyan earned a corner in the 81st minute, Andi Wiley directed the service towards the box, where Emily Ribatt headed the ball into the group of players gathered in front of the goal. Audrey Lavey managed to get a foot on the ball and deflected it into the left corner of the goal.

The result dropped Stevens to 10-7-4 and ended an outstanding season that saw the Ducks navigate an incredibly challenging schedule (the fourth-highest strength of schedule in the NCAA field, per D3Soccer.com), which rewarded the program with its first-ever at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. The trip to the national championship tournament marked the Ducks' sixth straight appearance, the ninth-longest active in Division III. 

Playing in the NCAA Tournament for the first time, Wesleyan won its second straight to improve to 16-1-2 and reach the round of 16. 

Although Wesleyan had the first shot of the match in the fifth minute, the early portion of the match was spent battling for field position. The Ducks registered the first shot on frame in the 19th minute with senior Ally Wanzor sending a ball towards the bottom right corner of the goal. The scoring attempt was saved by Wesleyan's Sarah Hammond, who finished with three saves.

The action picked up late in the first half, with DiDario making five saves over the final 15 minutes, while the Ducks successfully navigated four Wesleyan corners, to send the teams into the intermission scoreless. 

The offensive flurry carried over into the second half, with the teams combining for 20 shots. Following the Wesleyan marker, the Ducks pressed the action, firing off three attempts in the waning minutes of the contest.

The Ducks wrapped up the 2021 campaign with their 11th straight winning season and reached at least 10 wins for the 18th time in program history.

Inside the Numbers
  • Wesleyan finished with a 19-10 advantage in shots, including a 9-3 edge in shots on target. The Ducks outshot 18 of their 21 opponents and finished the season outshooting opponents by nearly a 2 to 1 margin. Wanzor led the Ducks with three shots, while Grace Devanny had three to pace Wesleyan. 
  • Wesleyan had an 11-1 margin in corners. The Ducks staved off eight Cardinal corners in the first half. 
  • DiDario lowered her career goals-against average to 0.661.
  • Stevens' NCAA record dropped to 12-12-2.

From the Sidelines - Head Coach Jeff Parker
  • "It was an outstanding match between quality sides. When you reach the NCAA tournament, everything just seems to ratchet up with excitement, expectations and emotions, and I thought our group was excellent across the board. Really stings when things come down to a pair of deflections that determined to end our season. Both squads created enough chances to win and it ended up that today was not our day. Really proud of the progress that we've made as a group, especially over the last few weeks when we were forced to find ways to get results."
  • "We are proud that we were able to secure our sixth consecutive NCAA appearance. We played the nation's most difficult non-conference schedule and five teams we faced are in the last 16. We felt like we definitely deserved to be here and are continuing to challenge ourselves against the top programs in Division III."
  • "We're still building and growing and we're going to focus on making sure all of the outstanding qualities that our seniors have brought to the group are treated like the treasures that they are. Incredibly important group that we will cherish and continue to count upon as a program. The legacy they leave will be found in the lives of those in the seasons ahead."

Up Next
  • Continue to visit StevensDucks.com for women's soccer offseason news and notes.

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