Seara Records Game-High Two Shots on Goal as No. 3 Women's Soccer Plays at No. 2 LIU Post in ECC Semifinal Matchup
Box Score BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (Nov. 2, 2016) – Despite a game-high two shots on goal from freshman Trista Seara (Lindenhurst, N.Y./Lindenhurst), the No. 3 seeded Mercy College women's soccer team dropped a 2-0 decision to No. 2 seed LIU Post in an East Coast Conference (ECC) Tournament Semifinal matchup on Wednesday afternoon at Pioneer Soccer Park.
The Mavericks (12-5-1) have dropped two games in a row and will await a possible NCAA Tournament berth, while the Pioneers (14-2-2) move on to the Championship Game and will either take on No. 1 Bridgeport or No. 4 Roberts Wesleyan on Friday.
Also, recording a shot on goal for the Mavericks were juniors Alyssa Iannuzzi (Massapequa Park, N.Y./Massapequa) and Stephanie Escala (Corona, N.Y./Long Island City), sophomores Ileen Mejia (Whittier, Calif./La Mirada) and Corinna Ferrante (Patchogue, N.Y./Patchogue-Medford) and freshman Natalia Elizarraras (Whittier, Calif./Los Altos). Junior goalkeeper Ashley Price (Goodyear, Ariz./Millennium) made two saves in picking up the loss.
LIU Post received goals from Veronica Saager and Alice Schonfeldt. Goalkeeper Hillevi Eklow made seven saves in picking up the win.
The hosts got off a strong start as they recorded the first three shots of the game in the first 11 minutes of action, with Price making her two saves.
The game remained scoreless until the 41st minute when Sarah McGarry played a ball into the box, deflecting it to the far post and heading it to the right side where Saager finished it off to give the Pioneers a 1-0 lead.
Seara recorded the Mavericks lone shot on goal of the half in the 43rd minute, following a Mejia corner kick, but Eklow made the save to keep LIU Post ahead 1-0 heading into halftime.
The second half saw Mercy control the ball down in the Pioneers end for the majority of the half. The Mavericks would hold a 12-4 edge in shots in the second half, but it would be LIU Post who recorded the only goal of the half. After the Pioneers drew a foul in the box, Schonfeldt connected on a penalty kick to give LIU Post a 2-0 advantage in the 69th minute.
Mercy continued to apply pressure to the Pioneers backline, but Eklow was able to make five saves in the final 22 minutes to hold the Mavericks off the board to give LIU Post the victory.
Mercy held a 16-8 edge in shots and a 7-3 advantage in corner kicks on the day.
