OT Goal by Adams Sends #8 Tartans to NCAA Sectional Semifinal

(PITTSBURGH, Pa.) - Senior Haili Adams ( Kirkland, Wash. / Juanita ) was the hero again for the Tartans, as the Carnegie Mellon University women's soccer team defeated Arcadia University, 1-0, in overtime in the second round of the NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Championship. The Tartans improve to 15-2-2 for the year and advance to the sectional semifinal for the fourth time in program history.

The Tartans dominated the first half, firing shots and keeping the opposing Knights on their toes. In the 35th minute, senior Sienna Stritter (Menlo Park, Calif. / Menlo School) had a near goal off of a free kick, sending the ball just over the top of the net. The Tartans put six of their 11 first-half shots on frame with Arcadia keeper, Brianna Williams, coming up with the stop each time.

In the second half, the Tartans defense was put to the test, but kept Arcadia out of the box and made quick transitions to an eager offense. Senior Tori Iatarola (West Dundee, Ill. / Loyola Academy) made a strong shot off a free kick in the 53rd minute that Williams dove to her right to stop. A followup shot by senior Morgan Kontor (Annapolis, Md. / Severn School) was also stopped by Williams.

In the 69th minute, Veronica Garcia redirected a header off the post following a corner kick by Karlie Flowers for the Knights and in the 80th minute, senior Alex Moy (Southborough, Mass. / Algonquin Regional) stopped a shot by Tara Smith following a scrum inside the box. Freshman goalie Carolyn Botz (St. Louis, Mo. / MICDS) picked up the rebound to keep the score knotted at 0-0.

As the first overtime period started, senior Grant Wilmer (Atlanta, Ga. / Holy Innocents' Episcopal School) fired a shot on net that Williams stopped in the 91st minute.

After Kayla Haberbosch curled a shot wide for the Knights in the 96th minute, the Tartans sent the ball up field where they took advantage of a Knight player tripping inside the 18-yard box as she attempted to clear a pass. Wilmer picked up the loose ball and touched it back to senior Katie Strycharz (Potomac Falls, Va. / Dominion) at the edge of the 18-yard box. Strycharz then put a cross through the box where Adams settled the pass and fired a shot through two defenders and past Williams to the upper right corner for her 12th goal of the season and second of the NCAA tournament. 

The Tartans advance to the sectional semifinal of the NCAA tournament and will take on third-ranked Hardin-Simmons University on Saturday, November 18 at William Smith College. The game time is yet to be determined.