11/01/2008
NEWMAC Tournament: Women's Soccer Advances on Penalty Kick's

BABSON PARK, Mass. - Junior goalkeeper Joanna Clark (Windham, Maine) had an outstanding day as she made a career-high 12 saves, 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.

"I am very proud of every member of this team," said head coach Joe Brady. "From the players who played, to the ones who supported their teammates from the bench. What can I say? We live to play another day."

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. Babson senior tri-captain Shir 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.

This mark's the Cougars first win over Babson since 2005.

Courtesy of Babson College Sports Information