Nov. 1, 2009
Box Score
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLA. - The Marist women's soccer team saw its 2009 season come to a close on Sunday afternoon at the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship tournament in the semifinal round, as the team dropped a 2-1 overtime decision to sixth-seeded Niagara at Hess Sports Field at Disney's Wide World of Sports. Niagara scored the game-tying goal with less than three minutes remaining in regulation and scored the game-winner 8:40 into the first overtime period.
The Red Foxes jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the ninth minute as freshman Merrilynn Esteve (Morristown, N.J.), and beat the goalkeeper to the far post.
Marist (8-10-2) held the one-goal advantage until the 87th minute. Niagara's Michelle Emery tied the match off a feed from Chiara Greco to force overtime. In the extra period, Greco scored the game-winning goal on a shot that deflected off the hands of Marist goalkeeper Jamie Balzarini (Holbrook, N.Y.).
Niagara held a 12-6 edge in shots, but had just one more shot on goal than the Red Foxes, a 5-4 margin.
Balzarini made three saves in goal for Marist, including one in the 61st minute where she ranged to her right and sprawled out to keep the Red Foxes up by a goal. Her counterpart from Niagara, Ashleigh Bowers, made three saves as well.
Marist concludes its 2009 season with an overall record of 8-10-2, while freshmen Nikki Kuhar (Oceanview, N.J.) and Sabia were named to the All-MAAC Rookie Team.
