BOX
SCORE
BABSON PARK, Mass. - Junior goalkeeper Joanna Clark (Windham,
Maine) netted the decisive penalty kick and then stopped Babson
College's final PK attempt to help the sixth-seeded Clark
University Cougars advance past the third-seeded Beavers in the
quarterfinals of the 2008 New England Women's and Men's Athletic
Conference (NEWMAC) Tournament at Hartwell-Rogers Field. The
contest officially ended in a 0-0 double-overtime tie with Clark
(7-9-1) moving on to the semifinals courtesy of a 4-3 advantage in
PKs.
Both teams had numerous scoring chances in the contest, with
Babson (10-4-6) having the better opportunities en route to a 23-11
shot advantage. The Beavers had two great bids in the first half -
the first coming when senior tri-captain Shir Castel's
(Boston, Mass.) header off a Sam Bartman (Upton,
Mass.) corner kick hit the crossbar and was cleared at
23:40. Sophomore Patty Pytlik (Wellesley, Mass.)
then hit the right post with a hard shot out of a scramble at 36:05
as the contest went into the break tied at 0-0.
Babson once again had the best chance of the scoreless second
half, as senior Laura Bucci (Norfolk, Mass.)
ripped a shot from 30 yards out that nearly got over Clark's
outstretched hands just two minutes into the stanza. However, the
junior keeper was able to tip the shot off the cross bar to keep
the Beavers off the board.
Clark gained the offensive momentum in the first overtime,
putting up the only two shots of the session. However, Babson
sophomore keeper Sarah Macary (Woodbury, Conn.)
made a clean save on the first bid from sophomore Allison Kennelly
(Irvington, N.Y.) in the 91st minute, and sophomore Laura Hedden's
(Albany, N.Y.) attempt sailed wide of the riht post at 94:05.
Babson's best chance of the day came early in the second
overtime, as sophomore Kristy Benoit (Shrewsbury,
Mass.) broke free on the left side of the box and slid a
pass over to first-year Bridget McCurdy (Weston,
Mass.). However, the rookie's ensuing shot attempt glanced
off the crossbar and was corralled by Clark, ending the Beavers'
threat. Kennelly then missed wide on the Cougars' final attempt as
the contest ended in a 0-0 tie.
Clark jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in penalty kicks, as senior
Julia Rizzo (Westborough, Mass.) and sophomore Megan O'Rourke
(Somerset, Mass.) each converted their bids. Castel (Boston, Mass.)
then put Babson on the board and, after Macary made a great diving
save on Clark's third attempt, Pytlik blasted her attempt in off
the crossbar to even things up at 2-2.
First-year Sydney Bailey (Auburn, Mass.) put Clark back in
front, 3-2, when she scored to start the fourth round, but senior
tri-captain Jackie Graham (Winchester, Mass.)
answered on Babson's attempt to send the contest into the final
round of kicks knotted at 3-3. Keeper Clark then stepped up and
ripped her bid into the lower left corner, giving the Cougars a 4-3
advantage. The junior goalie then sealed the PK win when she made a
tremendous diving stop on Babson's final attempt, sending her team
to next weekend's semifinal round.
Clark finished a brilliant performance in net with 12 saves,
while Macary made five saves in net for Babson.
