HAMILTON, N.Y. (11/6/09) - Colgate freshman Elise Amioka (South Berwick, Maine) tallied her first collegiate goal to defeat Navy 1-0 in overtime and advance to the finals of the Patriot League Tournament.
The Raiders will face American, which defeated Bucknell 1-0 in tonight’s second game, this Sunday, Nov. 8th at 1 p.m. on Van Doren Field.
Play was evenly matched during the first half with Colgate and Navy going back and forth down the field. The Raiders led in shots getting off five in the first half while the Mids only had knocked out two.
Both teams had a good look on goal in the second half, with Navy getting the first scoring opportunity. Brittany White sent the ball towards goal from about 10 yards out, but Colgate’s Ashley Walsh (Cicero, N.Y.) and Patriot League Rookie of the Year dove to her left to knock the ball out.
The Raiders had the next attempt on goal as Danielle Wessler’s (Port Republic, N.J.) shot was dead on goal, but Navy’s Beth Reed, Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Year, kept it out of the goal, but tipped it back into play. The Navy defenders cleared it out of the box but gave up a corner kick.
At the end of regulation the score was still tied 0-0, sending the first semifinal match of the evening into extra minutes. With just under four minutes remaining in the first overtime session sophomore Maddie Malone (Glen Ridge, N.J.) sent a pass to Amioka on the far side of the field. The rookie midfielder sent a cross intended for Wessler directly in front of the goal. Reed and the Navy defenders prepared for a shot from Wessler, which she never took, instead letting the ball slide in untouched past the Mids defense, for the overtime victory.
Walsh made five saves for the Colgate win including one in overtime. Reed made six saves in the loss for the Mids.
Colgate will be back in action this Sunday as they look for their 11th Patriot League title. The Raiders will face second-seeded American University in the conference finals held on Van Doren Field at 1 p.m.