Box Score Oliverio's 57th Minute Goal Gives Wilkes Women's Soccer First NCAA Tournament Victory
BALTIMORE, Md. –
Micaela Oliverio (Carlisle, PA/Trinity) scored on an impressive bicycle kick with an assist from
Catherine Gregoire (New Cumberland, PA/Trinity) in the 57th to lead the Wilkes University women's soccer team to its first victory in the NCAA Division III Tournament with a 1-0 win over Connecticut College at Johns Hopkins on Saturday afternoon.
The Lady Colonels are now 14-3-3 on the season.
Connecticut College came out with possession to start the game, earning the first shot in the seventh minute and the first corner in the 11
th minute.
Wilkes got its first chance on net in the 12
th minute when
Elena Denger (Nazareth, PA/Nazareth) lined a shot over the cage.
In the 22
nd minute, the Camels came sprinting down the field on transition and lined a shot off the post. Connecticut had two more shot opportunities in the first 45 but the Lady Colonels were able to block both.
Wilkes started to turn it on toward the end of the half, with Denger putting another shot high in the 40
th minute and
Elise Brubaker (Northumberland, PA/Shikellamy) getting one of her own off of a last-second free ball with two seconds left that was saved by Camels goalkeeper Bryanna Montalvo.
The Lady Colonels had the first chance of the second half when Denger took a corner kick that allowed Gregoire to take a shot in close that was saved by Montalvo.
Connecticut College came within inches of taking the first lead again in the 50
th minute on a point blank shot by Alex Baltazar that
Courtney Stanley (Yardville, NJ/Steinert) made a diving save to keep out.
The Lady Colonels survived a scare in the 53
rd minute when Gregoire appeared to put the ball in her own net but it was determined that the ball hit the football crossbar and went in, keeping the score even at zero.
Wilkes got on the board in the 57th minute when Gregoire played a ball into the box from about thirty yards out that was settled by Oliverio and bicycle-kicked in over her head into the bottom right corner of the net.
The Lady Colonels managed to escape danger again in the 69
th minute when the Camels had a point-blank shot that was blocked by Gregoire. It was ruled that Gregoire stopped the shot on a hand ball and by rule that is a red card and penalty kick, in addition to Wilkes playing a man down for the remainder of the contest. On the penalty kick,
Stanley was able to make a diving save that glanced off her leg but stayed out of the net.
The Lady Colonels again avoided a goal for Connecticut College in the 72
nd minute as the Camels had back-to-back shots with the second hitting the far left post but ultimately staying out.
Stanley then made two saves in the 78
th minute as Wilkes entered the remaining 10 minutes with its lead intact. Stanley turned away the final Camel attempt in the 84
th minute as Wilkes earned its first victory in the tournament.
Stanley made five saves, most of them on prime scoring chances, to extend her season record with the 11th shutout of the season.
Wilkes returns to Johns Hopkins tomorrow when they face the host Blue Jays in the second round starting at 1:00 p.m.
