William Smith lost the Liberty League women’s soccer championship game 2-1 to Vassar on Sunday at Cozzens Field in Geneva, leaving the Herons awaiting an at-large berth in the NCAA Division III tournament.
The No. 11 Herons fell to 14-4-0 after all three goals came in the opening 22 minutes. No. 15 Vassar improved to 11-1-5 and secured the league’s automatic NCAA tournament bid, with Gianna Panarelli scoring the winner after Kristin Middaugh had pulled William Smith even.
Middaugh equalizes before Vassar takes the lead for good
Vassar struck first in the seventh minute after William Smith blocked two shots following a free kick just outside the penalty area. Elena Valle’s initial attempt hit the defensive wall, and Lucy Hart’s follow-up was blocked before Alice Crowley finished the rebound for her team-leading 10th goal of the season. Hart was credited with the assist.
Herons goalkeeper Antonia Goerke kept the deficit at one by smothering a Panarelli shot in the 10th minute. Middaugh then tied the game in the 17th, running onto Aleena Solano’s through ball, splitting two defenders and beating goalkeeper Laura Shea for her eighth goal of the season.
Panarelli hit the crossbar off the ensuing restart, and Shea made a diving save on Middaugh in the 21st minute. Vassar went back in front in the 22nd when Panarelli collected Valle’s leading pass and chipped the ball over the charging Goerke. It was Panarelli’s eighth goal of the season.
William Smith nearly answered again in the 28th minute, but Shea smothered a header from sophomore Brynn Schneider to preserve the Brewers’ 2-1 halftime lead.
Late chances leave the Herons short of an equalizer
The crossbar denied Vassar again in the 48th minute when Anna Arban headed a shot off it. Just before the 85-minute mark, a William Smith defender cleared a Panarelli attempt off the goal line to keep the Herons within one.
Schneider had William Smith’s final chance to tie the game, but Shea stopped her shot. Middaugh led the Herons with three shots, while Schneider and Miranda DeMura each had two.
Vassar finished with a 15-8 advantage in shots, including a 7-5 edge in shots on goal, and led 2-1 in corner kicks. Goerke and Shea each played all 90 minutes and made four saves. Vassar defender Cecelia Wager was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Performer.
William Smith will learn whether it receives an at-large berth when the NCAA Division III women’s soccer tournament field is announced Monday, Nov. 9, at 11:30 a.m. on NCAA.com.
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