BROOKVILLE, N.Y. – Freshman forward Alexa
Niciforo (East Islip, N.Y.) scored two goal in a six minute span to
help the Pioneers snap a scoreless tie and give C.W. Post
women’s soccer the 2-0 win over American International in the
second round of the 2010 NCAA Division II Women’s Soccer
championship.
C.W. Post, the two seed in the tournament and the host of the game,
improved to 14-1-4 on the season. American International ends
its season with a 14-7-1 record.
The first half started with the Pioneers applying unrelenting
offensive pressure on AIC goalkeeper Kara Potts (Westfield,
Mass.). The C.W. Post midfield dominated balls in the air and
served up cross after cross, but the Yellow Jackets defense swarmed
the box every time and the Pioneers could not find the right touch
to finish.
In the 10th minute, freshman Karina Rizzo (Oceanside, N.Y.), making
her first start all season due to an injury to a Pioneer regular,
put a strong shot on goal with Potts out of the net, but AIC
defender Jennifer Kirby (Ajax, Ontario) was in position to make the
defensive save and kicked the ball away.
The scoreless play continued into the second half, but AIC
increased the tempo and the game became more of a back and forth
battle. In the 70th minute, CWP had a free kick and the
ensuing shot by Tove Eriksson (Helsingborg, Sweden) was a laser
that was hit the crossbar. Niciforo and senior defender Anna
Svensson (Stockholm, Sweden) followed with quick shots but
Niciforo’s was blocked and Svensson’s floated
high as AIC dodged a bullet.
But the Pioneer offense finally finished at 70:09 as Niciforo
gained control of the ball on the right side of the box and sent a
shot into the lower left corner past a diving Potts.
But against an determined AIC team that showed no signs of
deflating, one goal was a dangerous lead, until Niciforo struck
again just six minutes later, taking a through ball from senior
forward Ivana Babic (Haninge, Sweden) and chipping a shot from 10
yards out into the lower left corner for an all-important insurance
goal.
Leading 2-0, C.W. Post was completely in control the rest of the
way as they effectively shut down AIC’s attacking
efforts.
Junior goalkeeper Allie Weiser (Grand Island, N.Y.) made five saves
in the net while posting the shutout for the Pioneers, who outshot
AIC 22-11 and took seven corners to AIC’s four. Potts
made eight stops in goal for AIC.
Next up for the Pioneers will be the top team in the nation, Saint
Rose, as the teams meet in a third-round match on Friday,
November 19 to decide the East Regional champion at a site to be
determined. The Atlantic Regional top seed, West Chester, is
scheduled to host the East Regional champion in a national
quarterfinal match on Sunday, November 21; with the winner
advancing to the national semifinals in Louisville.
Provided by C.W. Post Sports Information Department.
