Box Score
Ashley Small (Melville, N.Y.) dribbled past two defenders and the keeper to score the only goal of the game and lift the Fairfield University women's soccer to a 1-0 win over Siena College in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) semifinal. The Stags advance to the championship game versus top-seeded Monmouth University, Monday at noon at ESPN Wide World of Sports in Orlando, Fla.
The Stags improve to 12-6-2 on the year with the win, while the Saints fall to 11-9-1. The victory snapped a six-game MAAC semifinal winless streak, dating back to the 2005 championship, also at ESPN Wide World of Sports. The Stags won that 2005 title and also captured the 2008 crown.
Fairfield controlled play throughout the game with a final shot advantage of 16-4. The Stags had an 8-2 edge in each half, but could not find the net until the Small tally at 67:49. Emily Wieczorek (West Hartford, Conn.) played a ball to Small near the left sideline. Small then dribbled past two defenders and past the keeper, beating another Siena defender with the shot into the side netting on the opposite side.
The Saints managed only one shot in the final 15 minutes of action and it was not on net, as the Stags defense posted its 10th clean sheet of the fall season. Kathleen Early (Rockville Centre, N.Y.) played the full 90 minutes in net for Fairfield and made a save in the effort. Taylor Booth made four saves in net for Siena.
Fairfield had a 7-2 edge in corner kicks in the game, with a 5-1 advantage in the second half alone. Siena committed more fouls, 12-8, while the Stags had two offsides and the Saints one.
The tally is the 13th of the season for Small, and her seventh game-winning goal of the year.
Monday's game can be viewed live on ESPN3.
