Rams Have Strong Showing in Semifinals
Skyline Semifinals: Montclair State - 20, Farmingdale State - 6
Montclair, N.J. - Freshman midfielders Jaclyn
Messina (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown) and Justine Rothar (Levittown,
N.Y./MacArthur) led for Farmingdale State (4-11), but the fourth
seeded Rams fell 20-6 in the Skyline Conference Semifinals to the
two-time defending champion and top seed Montclair State on
Wednesday afternoon.
Junior Marykate DiBenedetto (Cinnaminson, N.J./Cinnaminson)
finished with four goals as the Red Hawks (8-7), who advanced to
the Skyline Finals for the third straight season, will face No. 2
seed Kean in the title game on Saturday, May 3rd at Sprague Field
beginning at 1:00 pm. The winner receives an automatic bid to the
NCAA Division III Tournament. Kean defeated the College of Mount
Saint Vincent in the other Semifinal game, 13-12.
Messina gave the Rams a 1-0 lead 22 seconds into the contest, but
Montclair scored four times over the next two minutes to take a 4-1
lead. Farmingdale would get a goal back as freshman midfielder
Alecia Fuschetto (Melville, N.Y./Hills East) scored, but again
Montclair answered with a run for a 7-2 Red Hawk advantage with
19:09 left in the opening period. Junior midfielder Theresa Rokee
(Lindenhurst, N.Y./Lindenhurst) collected a goal for Farmingdale to
make the score 7-3, but Montclair tallied four straight as MSU led
at halftime, 11-3.
The Rams held Montclair to nine goals in the second half, scoring
three of their own for the final 20-6 score. Messina had two goals
for Farmingdale, while Rothar finished with one goal, one assist
and three draw controls.
Freshman goalkeeper Talia Katz (Lower Merion, Pa./Lower Merion) finished with eight saves for Montclair State.
Senior goalkeeper Janine Forman (N. Massapequa, N.Y./Plainedge) had 19 saves for the Rams in her final collegiate game, finishing with a career total and program record 625 saves over three seasons.
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