Women's Soccer's Season Ends In Defeat To Nazareth In NCAA Tournament

Rochester, NY --- Nazareth graduate student Christine Belding (Rochester, NY) potted the lone goal of the contest in the 62nd minute as she helped lead the #15 Golden Flyers to a 1-0 triumph over Worcester State in the first round of the NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Tournament this morning.

Nazareth (15-3-3) advances to play Amherst on Sunday to earn a berth to the regional sectionals as the Lancers season comes to a close at 14-4-1.

Worcester State ended a scoreless opening period with the 4-2 edge in shots. Junior Alicia Macomber's (Stoughton, MA) bid was too high 15 minutes into the period and senior Cassie Giardina (Pittsfield, MA) drew the netminder out of the net to make a long save at the top of the box in the 34th minute.

The Golden Flyers also had their own chances, but the back line for the Blue and Gold stepped up and rejected a pair of shots in the final 20 minutes of the first frame.

Nazareth came out firing on all cylinders in the second stanza as junior goalie Jillian Witkowski (Leicester, MA) stopped three shots early for WSU before the hosts put up a score midway through the period.

Belding dribbled down the right side of the field on a breakaway and buried her team-best 10th of the campaign on an unassisted tally to go up 1-0 with less than 30 minutes left in regulation.

Macomber and senior Shelby Archer (Dayville, CT) both placed shots on goal in the waning minutes of the contest, but the Lancers were unable to score the game-tying marker.

Witkowski turned aside six shots for the visitors while Nazareth sophomore Allison Dobles (Spencerport, NY) made seven saves in her eighth shutout of the campaign.

The Golden Flyers led in shots (11-10) and corner kicks (9-4) as attempts on goal were even (7-7).

The Blue and Gold were making their sixth NCAA Division III Tournament appearance and first since 2010. WSU has also finished the year with 11 straight winning seasons.