Box Score
WAYNE, N.J. – Both teams had legitimate chances to end the game during the 100 minutes played, but No. 4 The College of New Jersey (5-1, 1-0 NJAC) was able to triumph in the best-of-five penalty strokes, 2-0, at William Paterson (4-4, 0-2 NJAC) Sept. 25. Officially, the result is recorded as a 1-0 victory for the Lions, with the shootout win counted as a single team goal.
The Pioneers were the aggressors during the early going, drawing four corners during the game's first 12 minutes, but it was the Lions who had the best scoring chance of the opening period. TCNJ was awarded a penalty stroke with 10:08 remaining, but junior Mary Waller's attempt was wide right, and the two teams entered the halftime break deadlocked at 0-0.
TCNJ had the majority of the run of play during the second half, but a series of yellow cards gave William Paterson a one-player advantage with 9:02 remaining, and a two-player edge with 2:41 to play in regulation. The Pioneers could not capitalize despite several excellent opportunities, and the two teams were forced into overtime.
Midway through the first sudden-victory overtime period, William Paterson had a 2-on-0 break, but TCNJ's Kellyn Riley (and Waller combined to thwart
Chelsea Winkelspecht's (Sicklerville, N.J./Washington Twp.) shot on the doorstep. The Pioneers out-shot the Lions 6-3 during the 15-minute period, including an
Amanda Sheehan (Boonton, N.J./Boonton) attempt that Lion defender Kristen O'Neill swept off the goal line, but again neither team could find the back of the cage.
During the second overtime session, TCNJ owned an 11-1 edge in penalty corners, but several excellent plays by the William Paterson defense denied the Lions the game's first goal. The College of New Jersey had many of its opportunities during the final 4:27, after a yellow card to a William Paterson player gave the Lions a 7-on-6 advantage.
TCNJ's Riley started the shootout with a successful stroke to
Christina Auger's (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills) right, and
Melissa Szeliga's (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) shot up and to the left was stopped by Lion goalie Shannon Syciarz, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead. It became a 2-0 score when Jillian Nealon was good to the left and Syciarz saved Sheehan's stroke.
Auger started the third round by knocking away a Waller shot to her left. However, the Pioneers could not capitalize, as
Jennie Hara's (Washington Twp., N.J./Washington Twp.) stroke up the middle was turned away by Syciarz.
Freshman Camille Passucci was unsuccessful to begin the fifth round, seeing her shot to the lower-right saved by Auger, but the shootout ended when Winkelspecht missed wide left.
Overall, TCNJ owned a slim 13-10 advantage in shots, but a 27-9 edge in penalty corners. Syciarz had three saves for TCNJ, and Auger made nine stops for William Paterson.
The Pioneers will play at Alvernia Tuesday, Sept. 29, at 7:00 p.m.
