INGS POINT, N.Y. (Nov. 2, 2024) – Two goals scored in the first three minutes helped set the tone as the third-seeded U.S. Merchant Marine Academy women's soccer team punched its ticket to the Skyline Semifinals with a 3-1 triumph against sixth-seeded Manhattanville in the Mariners' first home playoff game in program history on Saturday at Bartoszek Field. USMMA improved to 10-2-4 with the victory, while Manhattanville ended its season 6-7-4.
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Senior
Natalie Colpoys (Rochester, N.Y.) and sophomore
Alexx Forman (Cincinnati, Ohio) scored 1:02 apart to help give the Mariners a 2-0 lead just 2:46 into the contest. Sophomore
Ainsley Carlon (Gilbert, Ariz.) also added a goal, while senior
Margaret Ripperger (McKinney, Texas) made six saves.
The Mariners capitalized on their first scoring opportunity and took the lead in just the 2nd minute. After a cross to the far post was headed back in front of the net by Forman, a header by a Manhattanville defender ended up near the penalty spot. Colpoys collected the loose ball and calmly pushed a shot just inside the right post for a 1-0 lead.
Just 62 seconds later, a corner kick helped USMMA double its lead. The corner kick from Carlon went through the box and towards the far post for Forman, who had a shot saved at the goal line by a defender. Forman collected the rebound and tried again, this time finding the back of the net for a 2-0 advantage.
After Manhattanville had its first shot of the game stopped by Ripperger in the 10th minute, the Mariners went right down the field and had a shot from junior
Morgan Mitchell (Amory, Miss.) saved in the 11th minute.
A free kick in the 21st minute, however, helped the Valiants cut the USMMA lead in half. The attempt was saved by Ripperger, but the ball took a ricochet off the crossbar and landed right at the goal mouth. Megan Leser then tapped it in to make it a 2-1 game.
The teams traded saves late in the half as Ripperger denied an attempt in the 35th minute before a header from junior
Emma Cox (Huntingtown, Md.) was stopped in the 37th minute and the game remained 2-1 at the break.
Neither team had a shot on-target in the second half until the 63rd minute when Ripperger made the save on a Mia Castaneda shot. Manhattanville then had a great opportunity to level the score in the 74th minute as a lead pass to Castaneda created a one-on-one, but the shot attempt was kicked directly at Ripperger.
Back at the other end, junior
Marina Ronzoni (Riverhead, N.Y.) had a shot saved in the 76th minute before Carlon was denied in the 81st minute.
USMMA then closed out the victory with an insurance goal in the 89th minute. A tight angle shot by freshman
Lauren Enterline (Harrisburg, Pa.) was saved, but could not be corralled by the keeper. Freshman
Lucy Thomas (Alexandria, Va.) collected the rebound and passed back to Carlon, who scored to make it 3-1.
The Mariners travel to second-seeded Farmingdale State on Wednesday, Nov. 6, for a 6 p.m. Skyline Semifinal matchup. The Skyline Conference will be charging admission for the remainder of the games in the Skyline Tournament. The link to buy the tickets to attend the Skyline Semifinals will be available on Sunday.
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