Nov. 1, 2016
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BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- After 109 minutes of scoreless soccer in Bethlehem, Pa. on Tuesday evening, senior Joanna Scotti made a play. The senior got her head on a corner service from classmate Kaelin King and found the back of the net to send Lafayette to the semifinals of the Patriot League Tournament. Lafayette improves to 7-7-4 overall and moves on to face top-seeded Bucknell in Lewisburg on Friday afternoon. Opening kick in the first of two Patriot League semifinals is set for 4 p.m.
Facing off against crosstown rival and third-seeded Lehigh, Scotti's goal propelled Lafayette to its first-ever Patriot League Tournament win in its first tournament appearance since 2011. The win also marked the first time a six-seed has ever defeated a three-seed since the tournament expanded to six teams in 2013.
"Obviously it's great to win and move on in the tournament. I'm very happy for the team. It's a special night for them to not only win in the tournament, but also to win it at Lehigh in dramatic fashion," head coach Mick Statham said. "Happy for Joanna, happy for the seniors and it's just a great night for us."
The winning goal all happened off a corner as the game looked to be headed for penalty kicks, approaching one minute to play in the second overtime stanza. King set up on the right side of goal and sent a curling service toward the far-post side of the six-yard box. There, Scotti put her head to it, sending it back to the near side and past Lehigh goalkeeper Sam Miller for the deciding moment.
"I really just went in to see if I could do something to help the team. Someone told me to get on the back post and I got my head on it and kind of just hoped when I was falling to the ground," Scotti recalled. "It was really quick and there was excitement and some tears, but I just feel so honored to be on the team and win in this moment."
Lafayette controlled the run of play for the majority of the game, finishing with edges in shots (16-11) and corners (4-2). Leopard net-minders Danielle Sedillo and Kelly O'Brien tallied one save apiece in the victory, while Miller was excellent in defeat for the Mountain Hawks, stopping seven Lafayette efforts on target.
The first five threatening scoring chances came off Leopard feet as King was a force to be reckoned with throughout the first half. On a counter play in the seventh minute, classmate Melissa Lynskey found King up the middle on a counter play, who cut it back toward the middle and fired a strong shot to the right of goal that forced a diving save from Miller out over the end line.
Later in the half, the senior put two more chances together, firing a shot off the crossbar in the 37th minute and putting an individual effort around two defenders together in the 41st with her shot just wide right.
The start of the second half continued to go Lafayette's way as senior Elizabeth Scoda got a chance at goal from point-blank range off a feed from King just three minutes in, but Miller was able to close it down.
Lehigh finally put a pair of their own scoring chances together in the 55th and 69th minutes. Sidonie Warnecker, working down the left side of the field, fed a cross to a streaking Adrian Vitello in front of goal, who got a free foot to it, but sent her shot right at O'Brien. Then, 14 minutes later, Sabrina Mertz sent a free kick from about 25 yards out just outside the left post.
From there, it was all Lafayette again, though, as the Leopards' play deserved a winner. Chances came and went in the 89th and 102nd minutes before Scotti eventually finished off a historic effort.
