ITHACA, N.Y. – The University of Scranton women’s soccer team played its typical strong defense throughout its NCAA Tournament first-round match against Bowdoin College on Saturday afternoon. But when the Royals couldn’t produce a goal of their own, the game wound up in a penalty kick shootout, where just about anything can happen.

In the end, what happened didn’t turn out in the Royals’ favor as the Polar Bears won the shootout, 5-3, to advance after the teams tied, 0-0, at Carp Wood Field on the campus of Ithaca College. Bowdoin advances to a second-round match on Sunday against the host Ithaca.

Scranton (9-7-5) and Bowdoin (14-3-4) battled back-and-forth throughout regulation with both teams generating a handful of chances, but neither finding what would’ve been the game-winning goal. Scranton outshot Bowdoin in the first half, 3-1, and had a great chance in the 23rd minute when senior midfielder Sydney Parker (Randolph, N.J./Randolph) got free at the top of the penalty area, but her shot sailed over the upper right corner.

The Polar Bears controlled the early part of the second half, continually putting pressure on the Royals, but junior goalie Kelsy McAnelly (West Chester, Pa./Villa Maria Academy) was up to the task, making four saves in the second period.

The Royals again had the best opportunity of the half, this time coming with just over six minutes left. After a Bowdoin corner kick, Scranton went on the counterattack with junior forward Samantha Russo (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Yorktown) breaking up the middle against two defenders. She found freshman forward Gianna Vitolo (Denville, N.J./Morris Knolls) on the right wing, setting her up alone against the goalie. Vitolo’s shot beat the Polar Bears’ keeper, but drilled the right post square and kicked back out of the penalty area.

The Royals got one more shot before overtime, but Russo’s attempt from 18 yards out was easily stopped.

McAnelly made two saves in the first overtime and Bowdoin freshman goalie Bridget McCarthy (Hopkinton, Mass./Worcester Academy) made one in the second overtime to send the game to a shootout.

Each team converted on its first three attempts and headed into the fourth round tied at three. Bowdoin converted its attempt before McCarthy made at tremendous diving stop of a shot by Russo that appeared ticketed for the bottom left corner. When the Polar Bears converted to start the fifth round, they had the shootout won and advanced to the second round on Sunday.

Bowdoin outshot the Royals, 14-10, and each team had three corner kicks. McAnelly and McCarthy each finished with seven saves. Russo led Scranton with three shots, all of which were on goal.

The Royals were making their third straight NCAA appearance and 14th in school history. They are now 7-11-4 all-time in NCAA Tournament matches.

--ROYALS--