Women’s Soccer Upsets JWU, Advances to GNAC Semis

Women’s Soccer Upsets JWU, Advances to GNAC Semis

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Jennifer Martin scored on a free kick with less than 10 minutes remaining to break a 1-1 tie and help the seventh-seeded Suffolk women's soccer team stun No. 2 Johnson & Wales, 2-1, in the GNAC Quarterfinals Sunday night at the Scotts-Miracle Gro Athletics Complex. 

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 2, Johnson & Wales 1
RECORDS: Suffolk (11-9) | Johnson & Wales (15-3-3) 

HOW IT HAPPENED
Suffolk broke open the scoring early in the first frame, but the Wildcats had a response to even the playing field. After a stalemate of back and forth that was controlled by JWU the majority of the time, the Rams capitalized on their best chance with under 10 minutes on the clock. A Wildcat foul deep in JWU territory gave Suffolk a free kick. From the left side, 20-yards out, Martin fired a free kick past the grasp of Collen Lynch's gloves in the opposite end of the net to put the Rams ahead 2-1. Down the stretch, Kirsten Weiker turned aside two Wildcat attempts to seal Suffolk's semis fate. 

GOALS

  •  Erika Nelson got the scoring going in the seventh minute. Alexandra Nagri sent a cross pass into to Nelson, who headed the rock into the net from three yards out to make it a 1-0 Suffolk game. 
  • Nearly eight minutes were removed from the scoreboard before JWU got the equalizer. Kyra Selner sent the ball into the box from the right side and Catherine Nolan redirected it past Weiker. 
  • Martin's game-winning tally came in the 82nd minute unassisted on a  free kick from 20 yards out. 

KEEPING UP WITH THE KEEPERS

  • Weiker was just one of five goalies that JWU faced in 21 contests that held the Wildcats to just one goal. The sophomore keeper put together a 10-save performance as a crucial ingredient in Suffolk's victory. 
  • Lynch suffered just her second setback of the season despite a three-save effort in between the pipes for Johnson & Wales. 

NOTEABLES

  • Suffolk is the first team to defeat Johnson & Wales in the month of October this season as the Rams' snapped the Wildcats' 12-game unbeaten streak. 
  • The Rams are just one of three of JWU's 21 opponents to score multiple goals against the Wildcats this season. 
  • Martin's second stanza tally is one of just four goals scored over the second set of 45 minutes against JWU in 2016. 
  • Suffolk moved to 3-3 in the conference quarterfinals and remains unbeaten against the Wildcats in the tournament's first round, moving to 2-0.
  • The Rams will make the program's third trip to the semis and first since 2013. 
  • Suffolk's 11 victories are tied for second all-time in the program's history with the 2011 squad, which went 11-8-1. 

POST-GAME PIC
 

COMING UP
Suffolk will travel to No. 3 Albertus Magnus Wednesday, Nov. 2 for a semifinal showdown.