Box Score
WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J . – Leave it to the Fairfield Stags to provide enough suspense to make your heart flutter. The Stags fell behind 2-0 in penalty kicks but was still able to survive and advance to the MAAC Title Game. The two teams ended the match in a 1-1 draw.
“I think the heart rate has gone done a bit,” Head Coach Jim O'Brien said. “It's still just an amazing night and we're really happy about the result.”
After falling behind by two goals, Fairfield (14-4-2)'s Kathleen Early made perhaps one of the most memorable moments in tournament history. The senior stopped two penalty kicks which tied the score up 2-2. Fellow co-captain Michelle Kowalski stepped up as the Stags' fifth penalty kick opportunity and converted the chance to put the second-seeded Stags up by one. But Niagara (11-3-6) still had one more chance. Early was able to dive to the right to knock away Naomi Giovino's shot and put Fairfield in the title match.
“As a goalie you're always taught in penalty kicks to just really stay focused,” Early said. “You're just taught to stay focused throughout the five and that's what I tried to do and not think about the ones that already gone in.”
Similar to their first matchup, Niagara converted on their first chance. Naomi Giovino took their first corner kick and delivered the ball into the box. After the delivery was fought for in the penalty area Catherine Meyer was able to control a deflection and finish in the back of the net. That was the first attempt for the Purple Eagles and it came in the 12th minute.
Despite chasing a goal down, Fairfield controlled all the momentum in the opening 45 minutes managing to out-shoot Niagara 5-2 in the half. Fairfield had two attempts just go high off the feet from Megan O'Brien and Cassidy Boegel. The Stags were able to keep possession on their end of the field off the midfield play of First-Team All-MAAC selection Michelle Kowalksi. The senior co-captain was able to push the pace up to the Fairfield side.
Fairfield kept that pace coming out of the gate in the second half. Karolyn Collins ripped a shot that banged off the post and the rebound taken by Boegel sailed high. Boegel would rebound in a big way. The sophomore took a deflected shot and finished in the top corner for her ninth goal of the season, obviously this was the biggest.
The Stags took 14 shots in the half but did have to survive a sudden flurry of Niagara opportunities. Early had four saves in the second stanza, with the biggest coming on a dive to her right. The ball kicked off her hands but she was able to regain control and corral the save.
Ashley Small had a chance to put the Stags up, but her shot was kick saved by Friertag, who came in statistically one of the best goalkeepers in the conference. Niagara had only given up more than one goal in a match three times this season.
The Stags held the best advantage in the first overtime period when Claire Friertag was out of the goal and Collins took a shot on a right angle that banged off the post. It was the second attempt for Collins that went off the post. Although Early only recorded one save in the overtime periods, she consistently saved the Stags' season. The goalie would come off her line to intercept corner kicks and hail in wide cross attempts.
Fairfield out-shot Niagara 21-10 and had a 9-5 advantage on corner kicks. Early finished with five saves, while Friertag had eight.
The 2014 season has been filled with many exciting moments, in which the team hopes keeps fate with them.
“I definitely think this is a unique and magical team,” Early said. “We've had our ups and downs throughout the season but I think we had some more ups and we've been lucky through many games. I just hope it stays that way and we're going to be the say way on Sunday.”
The Stags will advance to the MAAC Championship final for the second year in a row. Fairfield will wait to see who they face as the regular-season champions Monmouth Hawks and fourth-seeded Rider Broncs face off. Fairfield will play the winner of that match Sunday at 3pm.
