Box Score

Springfield, Mass. - The Adelphi University women's soccer team advanced to the Northeast-10 Championship game for the second straight year after defeating #2 American International College 2-1 in overtime on Friday evening. The Panthers, who trailed 1-0 at halftime, improve to 13-1-4 overall and will travel to #1 College of Saint Rose on Sunday for the title game. The Yellow Jackets drop to 15-2-2.

Newly-named Northeast-10 Player of the Year Sonia Basma got the hosts on the board early, just nine minutes into the first half. Basma moved free of the Adelphi defense on the left side, before she fired the ball into the right side of the net past NE-10 Goalkeeper of the Year Sam Whitney and put the Yellow Jackets on top, 1-0.

The Yellow Jackets outshot the Panthers 9-3 in the opening frame, but just a single goal separated the two teams for the duration of the half. The Panthers managed just one shot on goal in through the initial 45 min, but Olivia Czavar's attempt in the 41st minute was stopped by Sam Tabak.

The hosts kept their lead for more than 15 minutes into the second act before Victoria Antonino tied the game at 1-1 in the 63rd minute. The All-Rookie selection took the ball down the length of the field and beat Tabak for the unassisted goal that equalized the score.

The two teams took just four shots combined throughout the remainder of regulation, but neither side could break through with the go-ahead goal before moving into overtimtime.

Just 1:35 into the overtime period, Antonino set up a cross in front of the cage which found the foot of Bianca Lastra. Lastra beat Tabak to the spot to send the Panthers into the championship with a 2-1 victory. It marks the second time in a row that Adelphi beat nationally ranked AIC in the semifinals to advance to the NE finals.

American International led in total shots, 15-8, and also led 8-2 in corner kicks. Whitney, who made a career-high 14 saves in a 0-0 tie against the Yellow Jackets in the regular season, recorded four saves in the win while Tabak made three in the loss. 

Up Next
The Panthers will travel to Albany, New York on Sunday to face the #1 Golden Knights of the College of Saint Rose for the Northeast-10 Championship. On September 24, the Golden Knights handed the Panthers their only loss of the regular season, a 1-0 setback on Motamed Field.