Sophomore Brittany Barry of Springfield is hoping to help Saint Rose to a repeat.
SPRINGFIELD – After being frequently cornered in the first half, the American International College women’s soccer team nearly found a way to escape.
But it was the last corner kick – the only one of the second half – that lifted defending national champion College of Saint Rose to a 2-1 victory over the Yellow Jackets In the second round of the NCAA Division II tournament Sunday afternoon at Abdow Field.
Perhaps the last person expected to score such a meaningful goal made it her first in college, senior Molly Harpster heading in the corner from Amanda Vasquez with only 2:40 remaining to send the Golden Knights to the East Regional against Dowling Nov. 16 at West Chester (Pa.) University.
Saint Rose dominated the first half, but led only 1-0 despite being awarded all nine corner kicks. The Yellow Jackets adjusted in the second, not allowing the Saint Rose forwards to turn, shoot and rack up corners. Meanwhile, the Jackets picked up their offensive game too, tying the match in the 57th minute on a goal by junior Caroline Boyce off a right-wing cross from junior Mariah Shade.
In their 2-1 upset of Saint Rose Oct. 11, the Yellow Jackets allowed the Golden Knights just six corner kicks.
Initially, AIC coach Matt Johnson liked the flight of the ill-fated corner that lost the game.
“I was a little bit relieved when I saw the flight of the ball because it was an out-swinger away from the goal, and not an in-swinger like the others had been,” Johnson said. “The problem (with stopping their corners) is that they have so many big players.”
It was a terrific shot by Harpster, who had a similar effort go just over the goal in the first half.
An especially happy Golden Knight was sophomore Brittany Barry of Springfield. Barry, who had to be careful after receiving a yellow card for obstruction in the 25th minute, scored 59 goals for the High School of Science and Technology as a freshman, then added 81 over three seasons at Wilbraham & Monson Academy.
“It’s amazing – they beat us on our field and we did the same to them,” said Barry, who had a number of relatives and friends on hand. “Our team is such a family. I love my teammates; I’d do anything for them.”
Saint Rose coach Laurie Darling Gutheil emphasized to her players the importance of being focused on re-starts, and how it only takes one to determine the winner. That was the case Sunday.
The Yellow Jackets finished 13-4-2 with a Northeast-10 regular-season title shared with the Golden Knights.
“We hadn’t played in 11 days, and I told the team to leave everything on the field,” Johnson said. “We didn’t lose because of a lack of effort. In the second half, every player stepped up and played great.”