Box Score MECHANICSBURG, Pa. – New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) rival Williams College knocked the Tufts University women's soccer team out of the NCAA Tournament with a 2-1 victory in the "Sweet 16" at Messiah College's Shoemaker Field on Saturday.
The Ephs (11-5-3), the defending NCAA champion, advance to the "Elite 8" tomorrow when they will play the host Falcons. Messiah (21-1-1) defeated Trinity (Texas) 2-0 in today's other Sweet 16 game at the site.
Head coach Martha Whiting's Jumbos, who were playing in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2005, finished the season at 14-4-2. The 14 victories are third-most in school history and the highest total since 2005.
Williams built a 2-0 lead in the first half, but the Jumbos cut the margin in half with a goal 90 seconds after the Ephs' second score. In the second half, the Ephs did a good job winning balls and limiting Tufts' attack.
However, in the closing seconds, Jumbo sophomore back Tookie Wilson sent a ball from midfield into the top right of the box. Eventually it went to Tufts junior Sophie Lloyd who controlled the ball and popped a shot over a crowd of players towards the goal where Williams sophomore goalkeeper Chelsea Taylor had to leave her feet to make a save effectively ending the game.
Eph freshman Claire Tolliver was dangerous early. She had the first shot of the game five minutes in. Taking a ball in close, her attempt went wide left as Jumbo freshman goalkeeper Hayley Bernstein charged out to challenge the play. The Jumbos responded with their first shot by Lloyd that was saved by Taylor.
Tolliver would put Williams on the scoreboard in the eighth minute. She took a long pass from the back line, beat a Tufts defender to break into the box and put the ball past Bernstein low to the right giving the Ephs a 1-0 lead.
The Jumbos controlled the pace for a good period of time after the goal. The action included a pair of corners, a long goal kick by Bernstein that led to a shot by junior Liz Reed that was saved by Taylor and a tough-angle attempt by junior Hannah Isenhart that went over the post.
Willliams earned back some momentum, with Tolliver moving along the end line to take a left-footed shot that Bernstein stopped with 17:30 to play in the opening half. Then a fast-break chance by Williams led to a sliding shot by freshman Emma Lynch that hit the crossbar.
This would lead to a second Williams goal expanding their margin to 2-0 in the 32nd minute. A deflected shot went to sophomore Maria Chapman who sent it to the top of the box where Lynch tapped it perfectly into open space for senior Alison Lu to drill a shot past Bernstein on the left side. A double assist was awarded.
Down two, Tufts scored the important next goal after a throw-in. The ball was passed to Reed at the top right corner of the box and she turned and fired a perfect shot over the outstretched hands of Taylor and under the crossbar into the top left corner of the goal closing the gap to 2-1 less than 90 seconds after the second Williams goal.
At the half Williams had a 7-4 advantage in shots while Tufts had taken two corners to none for Williams.
Scoring chances were much fewer in the second half as Williams controlled possession for the most part. When the Jumbos did threaten, Taylor was aggressive in pursuing the ball. Only one shot went on goal in the second half and that was the last-second attempt by Lloyd.
The Jumbos finished with a 4-3 lead in attempted shots for the second half, while Williams took the game tally 10-8. Corners finished at 3-2 for Tufts overall. Taylor made three saves in the Williams goal and Bernstein had one for the Jumbos.
Watch the Tufts Press Conference ...
