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#6 Herons defeat #8 Amherst, advance to NCAA quarterfinals

The sixth-ranked William Smith College soccer team scored a pair of goals in the first half and hung on to beat eighth-ranked Amherst College, 2-1, in an NCAA tournament third-round game at Case Western Reserve University’s DiSanto Field Saturday afternoon. With the win, the Herons advance to the quarterfinal round for the fourth consecutive season.

The Herons (14-1-6) will take on fourth-ranked Case Western Reserve tomorrow, Nov. 20, at 1 p.m. The Spartans defeated 15th-ranked Loras 3-1 earlier in the day.

Ava Ruppersberger finished the game with three points on a goal and an assist. Kirsten Nelson started in goal and made six saves. Mika Fisher played all 90 minutes in the Amherst goal and made four saves.

KEY STATS: 

  • The Mammoths (18-3-0) concluded the game with a 15-13 edge in shots.
  • Both teams had four corner kicks.

FIRST HALF:

  • William Smith carried the play early in the first half. In the fourth minute, senior Julia DiMenna had a shot attempt stopped by Fisher.
  • In the 16th minute, Ruth Hotaling fired a free-kick attempt off of the crossbar.
  • Ruppersberger broke through in the 33rd minute. She intercepted a clearing attempt and slipped a shot into the lower right corner of the cage. It was her eighth goal of the season.
  • Two minutes later, Maggie Speckhart curled a shot into the upper left corner of the cage. Her seventh goal of the season was assisted by Ruppersberger and Katrine Berg.
  • Amherst cut into the lead in the 36th minute, Patience Kum ripped a shot inside the right goal post. Her ninth goal of the season was assisted by Isabelle Geneve.

SECOND HALF: 

  • Neither team found the back of the net in the second half. The Mammoths carried the play, outshooting William Smith 7-3 in the final 45 minutes as they searched for the equalizer.
  • Kum appeared to tie the game early in the second half, but the goal was waved off because she was in an offside position.
  • In the 78th minute, Nelson made a pair of diving stops for William Smith, robbing Isabel Stern and Kum of golden scoring opportunities.
  • Late in the frame, Amherst had a chance taken off of the board by a brilliant defensive play by Ireland Krawczyk.

UP NEXT: 

Sunday’s quarterfinal contest will be the first meeting between William Smith and Case Western Reserve.

Categories: Ontario CountySportsCollegeGenevaWilliam Smith Herons