Army Locks Up Postseason Berth on Senior Night

Saturday, October 27

West Point

6 PM

Army West Point

6-5-7, 2-4-3PL

American

7-5-5, 2-4-3PL

Team	1	2	OT 3	OT 4	Final F
American	0	0	0	0	0
Army West Point	0	0	0	0	0

Army Locks Up Postseason Berth on Senior Night

October 27, 2018 | Women's Soccer

Box Score

WEST POINT, N.Y. – The Army West Point women's soccer team clinched a berth to the Patriot League Tournament after battling to a scoreless draw against American on senior night Saturday at Malek Stadium at Clinton Field.

Prior to the game, the Black Knights honored seniors Nikiay Comer, Lauryn Westman, Kayleigh Stallings, Sydney Witham and Sarah Chamberlin, as well as their six senior managers.

With the point, Army clinched is headed to the postseason for the first time since 2014.

Both teams managed five shots in each of the first two halves, while the visiting Eagles maintained a 7-3 advantage in shots on goal. That all changed in overtime, however, as Army blasted 11 shots in the final 10 minutes of the contest, including six on target, to close out the game.

In the extra period, second-year Erynn Johns unleashed five of her game-high seven shots, including three on goal and one that rang off the crossbar. The Black Knights also generated scoring chances by rookies Dani Mendoza and Trinity Garay, as well as a strike from distance by Chamberlin.

Defensively, sophomore goalkeeper Sydney Cassalia saved all seven shots she faced and earned her personal-best ninth shutout of the season. A huge part of that clean sheet was fellow sophomore Mia Padon, who limited the Patriot League's leading scorer, Yari Barfield, to just three shots in the game and one on goal.

HOW IT HAPPENED
First Half

Cassalia stymied the Eagles first quality chance with 4:20 left in the opening stanza when a Samm Francucci shot from 15 yards out on the left side of the box was headed for the far post. The second-year keeper was forced to leave her feet and extended her left arm out to make the save.

Second Half

The Black Knights opened on the offensive as Johns dribbled through the middle of the field in the first minute of the second half before her shot attempt was blocked by Mendoza. The rookie from West Richland, Wash., corralled the ball and was one-on-one with the AU goalkeeper from the penalty spot, but flicked her shot just wide of the right post.
Ten minutes later, the visitors emerged and had a pair of chances, but Cassalia was once again up to the task. A shot from 20-yards out prompted another diving save by the Army keeper before American collected the rebound and found Emily Smith for a close-range look at goal.
After a penalty deep in American's end, a free kick set up Sarah Chamberlin with a one-time shot from the top of the box that sailed wide left of the target.

Overtime

Army generated one of its best chances in the first overtime period when a forward pass sent Johns down the left side of the box. The Austin, Texas, native fed a cross to a wide-open Garay, but the wet playing surface caused the rookie forward to lose her footing as she was unable to get a shot off.
With three-and-a-half-minutes remaining in the first period of extra time, the visitors booted a pass to Maddie Light on the right side of the box, but her shot missed wide left of the target after Cassalia charged out and cut down the angle.
Johns' best scoring opportunity came halfway through the final stanza when a close-range shot was saved and deflected over to Mendoza in the middle of the box. Mendoza then gathered and fired a shot toward the netting, but an AU defender stood in the way and prevented the score.

ARMY HIGHLIGHTS AND GAME NOTES

The Black Knights clinched their first berth into the Patriot League Tournament since 2014.
Army is now 5-5-10 in the all-time series against American.
This was Army's fifth scoreless tie of the season, setting a new program record in the category.
Cassalia earned her ninth shutout of the season and 15^th of her career, taking sole possession of fifth place on Army's all-time list.
The Omaha, Neb., native has made six or more saves in each of the last four games.
She became the first Army goalkeeper with at least 100 saves in a single season since 2014 when her sister, Jordan Cassalia, made 117 stops.
Johns fired a season-high seven shots in the game.

UP NEXT

The sixth-seeded Black Knights are headed to Annapolis, Md., to face No. 3 seed Navy in the first round of the Patriot League Tournament on Tuesday at 7 p.m.