Wellesley sophomore goalkeeper Olivia Reckley finished the game with six saves before adding two stops in the penalty shootout (Lauren Luo).
Wellesley sophomore goalkeeper Olivia Reckley finished the game with six saves before adding two stops in the penalty shootout (Lauren Luo).

Wellesley Soccer Falls To Springfield In Penalty Shootout In NEWMAC Quarters

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – After 110 minutes of scoreless action, fourth-seeded Springfield College outlasted fifth-seeded Wellesley College soccer in a penalty shootout, sending the Blue to a heartbreaking 7-6 defeat in the quarterfinals of the New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Women's Soccer Championship on Tuesday night at Brock-Affleck Field.

Springfield is now 13-5-1 and advances to take on top-seeded MIT in the NEWMAC semifinals on Saturday, November 4, at 10:30 AM.  Wellesley finishes the season with a 6-8-4 record.

The Pride finished regulation and overtime with a 17-6 advantage in shots, including a 9-0 edge in the second half, but couldn't beat Wellesley sophomore goalkeeper Olivia Reckley (Grosse Ile, Mich.). Reckley (6-8-4) finished the game with six saves before adding two stops in the penalty shootout. 

Senior Melise Knowles (Diablo, Calif.) led the Blue with five of the team's six total shots in the contest. Knowles had a chance to end the game in the second overtime period but was denied by Springfield senior goalkeeper Ciara Boucher (Manchester, Conn.). Boucher (13-5-1) finished with two saves in the game, but made three stops in the shootout, including the decisive one in the ninth round.

With the teams deadlocked at 6-6 following eight rounds of penalties, Springfield sophomore Nikki Kerr (Manchester, Conn.) stepped to the spot and gave the Pride a 7-6 lead. Boucher then denied Wellesley sophomore Deyanira Ibarra (Los Olivos, Calif.) on the Blue's final attempt to end the contest after two hours and 37 minutes.

Wellesley advanced to the NEWMAC Tournament for the second-straight season under the direction of Head Coach Missy Price, posting a 6-8-4 overall record and a 5-4-1 mark in NEWMAC play during the 2017 regular season.