CHICAGO - The No. 13 Swarthmore College women's soccer team was eliminated in heartbreaking fashion, falling to Carleton College, 1-1, in a penalty shootout in Saturday's Round of 16 match-up. After advancing to this weekend's action in a 3-0 shootout win over No. 6 Case Western Reserve, the team's postseason magic came to an end with a 4-2 decision in today's tilt.
Sydney Ross opened the scoring with a goal in the sixth minute to strike first for Swarthmore. Early in the game, the Garnet dictated momentum until the Knights evened the score in the 30th minute. Carleton survived through regulation and a pair of overtimes, before knocking off the Garnet with a 4-2 edge in penalty kicks.
Dahlia Bedward and Lila Travers split duties in goal, with the latter logging the second half, both overtimes and the shootout. Bedward made two saves and allowed the team's lone goal, while her fellow senior keeper tallied three stops in 65-scoreless minutes.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Swarthmore was aggressive early as they challenged the Knights in the opening 20 minutes. Charlotte Carleton nearly scored in the second minute. The junior, who has been one of the nation's hottest strikers during the postseason, got behind the Knights' defense, but was turned away by the keeper.
- The Garnet broke through in the sixth minute to take a 1-0 lead. Ross maneuvered around the top of the box before chipping a shot through traffic and past the keeper. The sophomore, who made just her fifth start of the season, rose to the moment as she put her team in front with her first postseason goal.
- Bedward stepped up in the 14th minute with a diving save. The Knights then started to slowly tilt momentum in its favor, eventually tying the game off a corner kick in the 30th minute.
- The Garnet defense limited damage in the 35th minute, keeping the streaking Carleton off the board. Swarthmore's defense stormed on the Knights' first shot attempt, while Bedward was forced to make a really nice leaping save on the team's second-chance opportunity.
- Nicole Jensen had a couple chances in the 68th and 69th minutes. The sophomore had her first shot blocked, while forcing the keeper to make a save on her second attempt.
- In the 75th minute, Stella Saad had a look in front of the net, but lifted her shot just above the crossbar. Travers was then called upon to make a save at the other end to keep the game tied.
- Charlotte Carleton nearly decided the game in the 85th minute. The junior was fed a pass deep inside the box, but had her one-timer stopped by a heads-up save from the keeper. Moments later, Celia Kanellakos created an opportunity for herself with a nifty spin move to carve out an open lane towards the goal. However, the sophomore's strike dribbled just wide of the far post.
- Lauren Lior had the best look of the first overtime period, but directed her shot above the crossbar in the 93rd minute. Haley Lewinski sent the junior a beautiful pass from the opposite side of the field, but Lior could not bury the high-difficulty shot while on the run.
- Ross nearly played hero with a pair of shot attempts in the second overtime. The sophomore made an excellent move to shake her defender, but lifted her shot just above the crossbar. Moments later, Ross fired off another shot attempt, which was corralled by the keeper. Travers sent the Garnet to a shootout with an excellent save in the 105th minute to stop the Knights' lone threat.
- After the Knights took a 2-0 lead in penalty kicks, Jordan Vrees and Charlotte Carleton evened the score with consecutive makes. However, the Knights buried its final two attempts to secure a 4-2 advantage in penalty kicks.
GARNET LEADERS
Goals: Ross 2
Shots: Carleton 5
Saves: Travers 3, Bedward 2
