ST. MARY'S CITY, MD – The York
College women's soccer season came to an abrupt end Saturday
afternoon as the Spartans fell 1-0 at St. Mary's College of
Maryland in the Capital Athletic Conference championship match.
York ends the season with an 11-7-2 record while the Seahawks march
on to the NCAA tournament with a 12-2-3 mark.
With the league title on the line, both
squads came out strong early as each team pushed the pace making
for quick play throughout the rain-soaked pitch. The Spartans
seemed to have the slightly better play over the game's first
20 minutes but were unable to break the Seahawk defense for the
game's first tally.
Midway through the first frame, York had
what would turn out to be their best chance of the afternoon.
Forward Steph Mergler (Street, Md./North Harford)
collected the ball nearly 30 yards from the St. Mary's goal.
The sophomore ripped a left-footed missile that seemed destined for
pay dirt. Seahawk goalkeeper Marie Oben stepped back to her goal
line, leapt straight up, and parried Mergler's attempt over
the crossbar. The ensuing corner kick went for naught and the score
line stayed 0-0 into the half.
After a blistering first half, pace
slowed significantly to start the second. St. Mary's got the
better of the play early and put the Spartans under pressure to
begin the period. York absorbed the pressure for a time and evened
out the play slightly as each side pushed for the opening
score.
Unfortunately for the green and white,
the Seahawks' push resulted in the eventual game-winner. With
24 minutes remaining in the contest, St. Mary's Kaitlin
Boswell collected the ball on the right side of the Spartan 18-yard
box. The speedy junior dribbled toward the endline before hitting a
shot that lifted just over the outstretched arms of freshman
goalkeeper Sarah Spanarkel (Toms River, N.J./Toms River
North) and into the Spartan net to break the 0-0
deadlock.
Down 1-0, the Spartans pressed hard for
the tying score deep into the match. York's best opportunity
in the closing minutes came when a loose ball just to the side of
the Seahawk net found the foot of sophomore Ali Jones
(Riva, Md./Archbishop Spalding). The forward put her
left-footed shot on frame but Oben was equal to the task and
recorded the stop.
York's final attacks went begging
and St. Mary's grabbed the CAC crown with the 1-0 result.
For the match, York held a 12-9 advantage
in shots and a 9-3 margin in corner kicks
Spanarkel takes the loss in the Spartan net making four saves and
cutting off numerous Seahawk through-balls. Oben captures the
victory with five stops including her exceptional save on
Mergler's attempt.
With the loss the Spartans bid farewell
to their five seniors. Caitlin Allen (Langhorne,
Pa./Council Rock South), Meagan Cahill (Crofton,
Md/Arundel),Kali Macgregor (Rockville, Md./Academy
of the Holy Cross), Sam Shultz (Stewartstown,
Pa./Kennard-Dale), and Jill Stanley (Stewartstown,
Pa./Kennard-Dale) aided the Spartans to a strong 53-23-9
record over the past four years including York's first CAC
championship and NCAA appearance in 2007.
MATCH BOX
Kali Macgregor photo courtesy of Steve Doemland
