Women’s Soccer repeats as Region III Champions
(Herkimer's Sydney Stanley collected her 16th shutout of the season against the Panthers on Sunday).
HERKIMER, NY – Netting one goal in a game the fourth time overall, and twice in their last three, the #1 Herkimer Generals women’s soccer team defeated #5 Tompkins-Cortland Community College 1-0 on Sunday (11/1) at Wehrum Stadium to advance to the NJCAA DIII National Championship Tournament while capturing their second consecutive Region III Championship.
Herkimer (16-1, 3-1) managed one free kick and two corners in the first 45 minutes of play, going into intermission tied with the Panthers 0-0. Herkimer’s Teigha Ward (Ilion, NY) got the free kick opportunity, watching it carom off the top-left cross bar and out of bounds in the 38th minute. It was the closest Herkimer came to scoring in the first 45 minutes.
The second half was entirely different with the Generals tallying two corners, five shots on goals and one free kick in the first 31 minutes of the second half. Both corners in the 55th and 65th were unsuccessful, along with the free kick in the 56th. What was successful however was Ward’s shot on goal in the 75th - getting behind the defense after a quick pass from teammate Michaela Bianca (Guilderland, NY) - finishing right-to-left for her 26th goal of the season. It was the eighth time both players have connected on a score this season, two of them going for game winners.
In goal for Herkimer on Sunday was Sydney Stanley (Schoharie, NY). The sophomore managed six saves in her second Region III Championship game, not allowing a goal in 11 games played at Wehrum Stadium this season. Stanley has 16 shutouts in total which is the best in the nation.
Herkimer will compete in the 2015 NJCAA DIII National Championship Tournament at Ocean County Community College for a second straight season. The Generals finished third overall in the tournament a year ago, traveling again to Toms River, NJ from November 12th to the 15th. Seedings for the national tournament are expected to be given out in the next couple days.
Score:
#1 Herkimer Generals 1, #5 Tompkins-Cortland Panthers 0
Halftime:
Tied 0-0
GENERALS (16-1, 3-1) Teigha Ward 1-0, Michalea Bianca 0-1. Sydney Stanley 6 saves
PANTHERS (12-5-2, 6-0-1) Molly Graves 2 saves
MVP:
Teigha Ward (Herkimer)
Rosemary Zelenyak (SUNY Broome)
All-Tournament:
Herkimer
Michaela Bianca
Kalli Warmingham
Nicole Doolen
Tompkins-Cortland
Devin Blanchard
Ruthanne Forehand
SUNY Broome
Nicole Harmer
Mikaela Mazerolle
Emily Caslin
Finger Lakes
Carissa Perkins
Jennifer Pedro
-Giorgio Varlaro