Babic Breaks Through for Women's Soccer OT Win
Box Score
BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (Sept. 29, 2010) – The C.W. Post women's soccer team put forth a strong offensive effort, particularly in the second half of play, but held back its heroics until overtime of this afternoon's game against visiting Southern New Hampshire University on Robert Blitz Field. After scoreless regulation play in which shots were few and far between for both teams, senior Ivana Babic (Haninge, Sweden) broke through for the game winner to net a 1-0 win for C.W. Post late in the first overtime period.
The victory improves CWP to 5-1-2 and moves Southern New Hampshire to 4-4.
Both squads spent much of the first half feeling each other out as most of the action was in the midfield, with SNHU taking four shots and C.W. Post taking two. The Pioneers had a great opportunity in the 17th minute as Babic sent a pass to freshman Alexa Niciforo (Islip, N.Y.), who sent a shot towards the top shelf of the SNHU net, but it was punched up and away by Penmen goalkeeper Maggie Weldon (Manchester, N.H.).
SNHU had a scoring opportunity of its own in the waning seconds of the first half, as junior goalkeeper Allie Weiser (Grand Island, N.Y.) came out to play the ball, but Danielle Courtemanche gained control and sent a shot towards the net. However, senior Katie Weiland (Ocean City, N.J.) was heads up on the play and was in position to make the defensive save and keep the game at a 0-0 draw going into halftime.
The Pioneers made an adjustment heading into the second half and came out more aggressively on the offensive end, as senior Jessie Gianatti (Southington, Conn.) sent a nice crossing pass across the goal from the right side that was just out of reach of the Pioneer attackers in the 51st minute.
Perhaps the best scoring chance of the half for the Pioneers came in the 66th minute, as senior forward Sanna Pettersson (Orebro, Sweden) took a shot at point blank range, but Weldon came up with a great save deflecting Pettersson's bullet and keeping the match scoreless.
The Pioneers had other opportunities as the offense pulled Weldon off her line in the 70th minute, but the Penmen defense tacked Prudence Rydstrom (Islip, N.Y.) in the lower left corner of the box, preventing a goal on the open net.
The Penmen outshot the Pioneers 6-3 in the second half, but almost all of their shots were easy saves, directly at Weiser. SNHU did have an offensive breakaway in the 72nd minute, as Courtemanche broke free and carried the ball towards the top of the box, but senior defender Anna Svensson (Stockholm, Sweden) came up with an excellent defensive stop, and the resulting Penmen shot rolled wide left of the goal.
The hosts had another opportunity with just 1:30 remaining on the clock, but Babic's shot went just left of the net.
Despite the opportunities, regulation passed without a score, bringing up C.W. Post's fourth overtime game of the season, and the Pioneers kept the Penmen on their heels with aggressive offensive pressure as SNHU did not manage a shot in the overtime period. With 1:13 on the board, junior Tove Eriksson (Helsingborg, Sweden) took a corner kick that bounced out to DeLuca at the 25. DeLuca sent the ball back in to Niciforo at the top of the box. Niciforo controlled and sent a short pass to Babic on the right side, who took two touches and sent a shot into the upper left shelf for the win.
Weiser made seven saves to keep the Penmen off the board and earn her fifth clean slate of the season. Shots were hard to come by with SNHU taking 10 to C.W. Post's 7, but the Pioneers held an 8-2 edge in corners.
C.W. Post, who received votes in the most recent NSCAA Division II poll, has a big conference match against Bridgeport on Saturday at noon, as the Purple Knight travel to Brookville for a matchup of two perennial ECC title contenders.