SALISBURY, Md. – The Frostburg State University women’s soccer team is headed back to the NCAA Tournament after defeating Salisbury on penalty kicks, 4-3, in the Capital Athletic Conference Tournament Championship, Saturday afternoon.
Box Score
The second seeded Bobcats (14-3-2) and the top seeded Sea Gulls (11-5-2) couldn’t find the net through both regulation and two overtime frames.
In penalty kicks, sophomores Stephanie Fazenbaker and Abby Aposporous made the first attempts, while Salisbury made its first attempt and Bobcat keeper Katie Smith tipped the second attempt over the crossbar for a 2-1 edge.
Frostburg’s third attempt missed the net and the hosts converted to knot the score at 2-2. Sophomore Quincy Hegeman made the team’s fourth attempt and so did SU, setting up a dramatic finish on the final attempt.
Senior Liz Seligman buried the Bobcats’ fifth kick and Smith saved SU’s last effort as the entire Frostburg team crowded around Smith in front of the net in celebration.
Smith turned in her best effort of the year with a season-high 10 saves. Her counterpart, SU keeper Michelle Conrad made eight saves.
The Sea Gulls held a 11-5 edge in shots in the first half, however, the Bobcats rebounded in the second with a 12-10 advantage. In the overtimes, Frostburg held a 1-0 edge after the first extra session and attempted all eight shots in the second.
The Bobcats carried that momentum into penalty kicks and it paid off with their first CAC Tournament Title and first trip the NCAA Tournament since 2009.
Frostburg had key chances to avoid overtime and penalty kicks, but came up short on three vital opportunities. Junior Courtney Mack had a header off a corner kick hit the crossbar in the 57th minute, freshman Erin Worthman had a shot hit the post in the 77th minute and the rebounded effort by senior Dorie Gedridge was saved by Conrad. In the second overtime, Fazenbaker had a header sail just wide of the net at 104:59.
Notes:
The Bobcats are making their seventh trip to the NCAA Tournament in the program’s 19-year history … Fans can watch the NCAA Division III Women’s Soccer Selection Show on Monday afternoon at 1:30 pm at NCAA.com … A full tournament preview will be available late Monday afternoon.
