Women's Soccer Advances to MASCAC Semifinals on PKs

SALEM, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University women's soccer team advanced to the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Tournament semifinals thanks to a 4-2 penalty-shootout victory over Salem State University on Tuesday evening after the two teams played to a 1-1 draw through regulation and two overtime periods.

The fifth-seeded Bears (6-11-1) will take on top-seeded Worcester State University in semifinal round action on Friday night in Worcester.

In the shootout, the Bears converted on all four of their attempts with Mackenzie Hatfield (Whitman, Mass.), Olivia Planty (Litchfield, N.H.), Courtney Pepin (Uxbridge, Mass.) and Emily Lane (Parsonsfield, Maine) all finding the back of the net.  With the Vikings missing twice, Lane's strike sent Bridgewater into the semifinals.

The game, which is recorded as a 1-1 tie, was scoreless at the half.  Salem State's strongest chance in the opening stanza came when Allison Cella (Hopkinton, Mass.) headed the ball off a corner kick, but it deflected off the crossbar.  The Bears had several of their own scoring opportunities, but Rachel Ledbetter (Dracut, Mass,) was solid in net for the Vikings, making five first half saves.  BSU netminder Kristin Reardon (Weymouth, Mass.) turned aside four shots in the opening stanza.

The Vikings held the edge in possession in the second half, and limited the Bears to just two shots before Kara Digiacomo (Peabody, MA) put the hosts up 1-0 in the 79th minute.  Digiacomo blasted a free kick from the midline that bounced over the Bridgewater keeper and into the back of the net.

Salem seemed poised to come away with the win, but with less than three minutes remaining in the game Allison LeBel (Millis, MA) provided the heroics for the Bears as she potted the equalizer.  LeBel's shot bounced over Ledbetter, who had come out of the net, to knot the score at 1-1 and send the game into overtime.

In the first overtime, Digiacomo almost won it for the Vikings when she just missed on a free kick, hitting the crossbar. Later, Ledbetter made a tremendous save on Hatfield, who had a breakaway opportunity, but was stuffed by Ledbetter from ten yards out.

For the game, Ledbetter finished with six saves while Reardon stopped 10 shots.