ALLENTOWN, Pa. --- The Cedar Crest College Soccer team has done it, they are heading to the 2018 Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) Championship Game after defeating Cairn University in Penalty Kicks Wednesday evening at the FalconPlex.
The Falcons record goes to 12-3-1 and 7-1-1 after 110 minutes of action tonight, but would snatch the victory after the 3-1 result in the shootout.
"That was such a heard fought match", stated Head Coach
Sarah Wolcott, "I'm so proud of our players."
Cedar Crest struck first, with sophomore
Daria Warner (Harrisburg, Pa./Bishop McDevitt) getting a touch on the ball inside the 6-yard box that she got past the Highlander keeper in the 19
th minute. That goal was
Warner's 14 of the season. Cairn would find the equalizer in the 38
th minute when a Highlander free kick went into the back of the net to tie the game at 1-1.
It was a scoreless affair for the next 65 minutes of action as the game was push to penalty kicks, which had the Highlanders shoot first.
Wolcott continued, "Cairn gave us an absolute game, and our team stayed checked in and composed for all 110 minutes and then some."
Cairn's first shot hit the top right of the post, where the Falcons sophomore
Adrianna Tennis (Pine Grove, Pa./Pine Grove ) fooled the keeper with a slow-roller to the right side to jump out 1-0 in PK's. Cairn's second attempt rang off the crossbar, where sophomore
Sarah Nawrocki (Minersville, Pa./Minersville) put the Black and Yellow up 2-0. Cairn would get one back on their third penalty kick attempt, where junior
Kimberly Rosano (Belvidere, NJ/Belvidere) had her attempt saved.
Senior goalkeeper
Morgan Maddock (Brick, N.J./Brick Memorial High School) needed to come up with a big save, and she did just that, saving what would be the last penalty kick of the match for the Highlanders. Freshman
Brittney Dunleavy (Auburn, Pa./Blue Mountain) stepped up to the ball and blasted it to the left-side of the net to beat the keeper and send the Falcons to the CSAC Championship for the first time in Cedar Crest history.
"I'm so so proud of this team and all of their hard work and accomplishments! They've earned everything they've gotten this season, and they aren't done yet!", concluded
Wolcott.
The Falcons advance to the CSAC Championship game that will take place at Centenary University on Saturday, November 3. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 PM at Reeves Field.