NCAA DIVISION II WOMEN’S SOCCER QUARTERFINAL #8 Adelphi Ends #4 Franklin Pierce’s Streak in Penalty Shootout
Panthers win shootout 6-5 after Cali double forces overtime
GARDEN CITY, N.Y. (November 20, 2004) - Adelphi University, ranked No. 8 in the final regular season NSCAA/adidas Division II poll, ended No. 4 Franklin Pierce's record run of Final Four trips with a 6-5 decision in a penalty shootout after the two sides played to a 2-2 draw in quarterfinal round action of the 2004 NCAA Division II Championships this afternoon at Stiles Field.
Adelphi (19-3-1) advances to its first Final Four where it will face the winner of tomorrow's quarterfinal match between Lincoln Memorial University and No. 7 Carson-Newman University on Thursday, December 2, in Wichita Falls, Texas. Franklin Pierce (20-1-1), winners of a record five National Championships, has its record of 12-straight Final Four berths halted with the loss. The Ravens were the only higher seed in the men's or women's NCAA Division II Soccer Tournament to be sent on the road for their quarterfinal match.
"We really didn't deserve to be in the penalty shootout," said Franklin Pierce Head Coach Jeff Bailey. "We let them have too much space, allowed too many crosses into the box and gave them too many chances."
Sophomore Tara Grodotzke (Rocky Point, N.Y./Rocky Point) sent Adelphi through as she deposited the Panthers' sixth penalty attempt into the right side of the net. The decisive kick came after Franklin Pierce sophomore back Mia Makarainen (Espoo, Finland) had her attempt carom off the left post after both teams converted their first five kicks.
"I felt pretty confident with about four minutes to go," said Bailey. " I felt like maybe we weathered the storm, but it just wasn't meant to be."
Adelphi sent the match into overtime as senior back Dina Cali (Valley Stream, N.Y./VS North) knocked in a loose ball at the right post. Franklin Pierce freshman goalkeeper Jenna Mello (Londonderry, N.H./Londonderry) had a ball from the left side by sophomore Catherine Wyndham (Lynbrook, N.Y./Lynbrook) slip through her hands, that found Cali for a shot into a wide open net for her second goal of the match.
Cali opened the scoring 13:50 into the contest when she headed in a corner kick from senior Josephine Coiro (West Babylon, N.Y./West Babylon) at the far post that caught Mello off her line attempting to collect the inswinger.
Franklin Pierce roared back with a pair of goals within a span of 1:25 in the 19th and 20th minutes. Junior All-American Laura Hislop (Belfast, Northern Ireland) played a role in both markers, setting up senior back Martta Makila (Vantaa, Finland) with a cross from the left side. Makila was left unmarked and buried a shot from the center of the penalty area at 18:26. Hislop put the Ravens ahead at 19:51 when she was left unmarked in the center of the penalty area and took a pass from freshman Taryn Welker (Wayne, Pa./Conestoga) and blasted a shot into the goal from the penalty spot.
"This team was good enough to go to the Final Four," said Bailey. "But it comes down to how you play on the day and today we weren't good enough."