#1 Farmingdale State - 0, #2 Mount Saint Mary - 0 (FSC wins 3-2 in PK's)
Farmingdale, N.Y. - For the third consecutive year and 11th time in the last 12 seasons, the Farmingdale State women's soccer team has won the 2018 Skyline Conference Championship. After neither team would score in 110 minutes of play, the top-seeded Rams defeated #2 Mount Saint Mary College in penalty kicks, 3-2, to clinch the title and earn the conference's automatic bid to the 2018 NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Championship.
The Knights (13-5-2), who were with the wind in the first half, controlled play early as they tallied four shots on goal in the first 16 minutes of action each of which were saved by Rams' (16-3-3) junior goalkeeper Daniella Ford (Elmont, N.Y.).
With 24:45 on the clock, sophomore midfielder Alexa Franceschi (Red Hook, N.Y.) recorded Mount Saint Mary's fifth and final shot on goal of the half but another save by Ford kept the game scoreless. The Knights outshot Farmingdale State, 6-1, in the first 45 minutes of the game.
FSC, who had the wind in the second half, took their first shot on goal in the 55th minute. Sophomore midfielder Meagan Murdocco's (North Babylon, N.Y.) attempt was stopped by MSMC sophomore goalkeeper Cassidy Rykowski (Sloatsburg, N.Y.).
With 27:21 remaining, Rams' freshman forward Julissa Martinez (Brentwood, N.Y.) received a pass in front but sent a shot just high of the net. Just 7:23 later, a Murdocco cross in front set up a shot for senior midfielder Allison Khare (Deer Park, N.Y.) but Rykowski made a diving save as the game remained 0-0.
Over the final seven minutes, Mount Saint Mary recorded three shots including a pair on goal from freshman forward Liz Ellsworth (Suffern, N.Y.). Junior midfielder Chrissy Cannella (Cornwall, N.Y.) produced a shot with 19 seconds left that went wide of the net as the game headed into overtime.
Neither team would record a shot on goal in the overtime periods as the game went into penalty kicks.
Farmingdale State jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the shootout after Mount Saint Mary was unable to score on their first two attempts, while both Martinez and junior midfielder Tara Lyons (Wantagh, N.Y.) produced goals.
Sophomore midfielder Brittany Bornstad (Linden, N.J.) tallied MSMC's first goal in the third round to cut the deficit to 2-1. After both teams missed in their fourth try, Knights' freshman defender Julia DeSantis (Islip, N.Y.) knotted the score at 2-2 with a goal in the fifth round.
FSC junior defender Celine Cannizzaro (Bayport, N.Y.) had a chance to give Farmingdale State the victory in the fifth round but her shot would go just wide right as the shootout was extended.
In the sixth round, Ford made a diving stop on the shot by sophomore defender Alexandra Salamone (Sound Beach, N.Y.) before Rams' freshman forward Olympia Lewis (Brentwood, N.Y.) put home her attempt to give FSC the 3-2 victory in penalty kicks.
Ford was named the Most Outstanding Player of the 2018 Skyline Conference Championship after making seven saves and stopping four penalty kicks in today's game. She did not allow a goal in over 184 minutes of play in the tournament.
Farmingdale State now awaits word of their First Round opponent for the NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Championship which will be announced on Monday, November 5th at 1:30 p.m.
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