GENEVA, N.Y. – The Swarthmore College women's soccer team had its season come to an end with a 1-0 loss to No. 22 Bowdoin College in the first round of the NCAA Division III Tournament on Saturday afternoon at William Smith College. The Garnet finish the campaign with a 12-4-2 record.
Both teams had chances in the first half but were unable to put one in the goal. The Polar Bears went in front early in the second then limited Swarthmore's opportunities for the remainder of the game. The Garnet recorded just three shots after halftime. Lila Travers stood tall in the cage and made seven saves, some of them crucial to keep Swarthmore in the game.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The squads felt each other out for the first 20 minutes with neither team generating a dangerous chance. Bowdoin earned the first corner kick of the afternoon in the 23rd minute and got a shot off that missed wide.
- The Polar Bears had another opportunity in the 28th minute as a Bowdoin forward gained a step on the Swarthmore defense. However, Travers came out of her net and came through with a point-blank save.
- In the 31st minute, the Garnet were awarded their lone corner kick of the half.
Keren Maze took the kick and nearly sent it into the net but it was cleared out at the last second by a defender on the goal line.
- Travers came up big again in the 33rd minute, sticking out her left foot to stop a shot from the top of the box. The rebound bounced to a Polar Bear but the follow-up shot was blocked away by Maze.
- The Garnet threatened again in the 40th minute.
Allie Zitelli pounced out a loose ball at the top of the box and fired a shot but it was blocked by the defense. The ball deflected to
Veronica Gibbons who got off a shot but it missed high.
- Bowdoin broke through in the second half, taking the lead in the 50th minute. The Polar Bears booted an arcing shot from the 18 that eluded a leaping Travers and snuck in just under the crossbar.
- Travers kept it a one-goal game at the 62nd-minute mark, diving to her left to keep out a shot that came out of a scramble at the top of the box.
- The Garnet looked like they had the equalizer in the 79th minute as Gibbons sprung Gizzie towards goal and Gizzie put the ball into the lower right corner. However, Gizzie was ruled offside on the play.
GARNET LEADERS
Shots: Gizzie, Gibbons 2
Shots on Goal: Gizzie, Gibbons, Lauren Lior 1
Saves: Travers 7
