The New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference

NORTON, MA- Sophomore Amy Scheffer (Schalmont, NY/Schenectady) tallied the game-winner in the 41st minute, and the Ithaca College women's soccer team will move on to next weekend's sectionals thanks to a 1-0 win over Wheaton College during the second round of Saturday's NCAA Division III Tournament at Mirrione Stadium. Today's game marked the first between the two nationally-ranked teams, as the Lyons are ranked seventh and the Bombers 24th by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA).

Ithaca faces the winner of tonight's game between Calvin College and Wittenberg University at a site to be determined tomorrow evening. Ithaca, which is making its 18th NCAA Tournament appearance, recorded its 15th shutout of the fall while improving to 18-3. Previously unbeaten Wheaton had streaks of 23 games undefeated and 19 wins snapped, as the Lyons finish their season at 22-1-1. Prior to today, Wheaton hadn't surrendered a goal in four playoff games, outscoring those opponents by a 21-0 count.

Despite only taking four of the first half's 15 shots, the Bombers created solid scoring chances. Eighteen minutes into play, sophomore Winnie Adrien's (Selden, NY/Blairstown Academy) shot from 25 yards out ricocheted off the top right of the crossbar and out of play. Wheaton's best chance up to the Scheffer goal came with 11 minutes to play in the stanza, as a left-footed strike from freshman Emily Hough (Norwich, VT/Hanover) landed just to the right of the goal frame.

With time whittling down in the first half, the Bombers made one of their final offensive pushes count, as Scheffer dribbled down the middle of the field to open space, made a move to her right and drove a perfectly-placed shot from just outside the box into the upper right netting. Wheaton freshman Melida Alvarez (Saugus, MA/Buckingham Browne & Nichols) nearly knotted the game a little over a minute later, as she used a spin move with her back to the goal and fired a right-footed shot that sailed just over the crossbar.

Alvarez had another opportunity with 17 minutes remaining, but her sliding attempt deep in the Ithaca zone was denied by Bomber senior goalie Aimee Meacham (Massena, NY/Massena), who finished with eight stops. Senior Lauren Konopka (Medford, NJ/Holy Cross) had the Lyons' final chance with just over eight minutes left, as she rifled a shot from just inside the box that carried to the left of the target.

Meacham earned the shutout win, while Wheaton senior goalies Elana Cockburn (Chestnut Hill, MA/Brookline) and Stacey Kronenberg (Belchertown, MA/Belchertown) combined for three saves in split halves. The Lyons outshot Ithaca, 21-9, and each team took three corner kicks.

Ithaca 1, Wheaton 0
SCORING 1st 2nd Final
Ithaca (18-3) 1 0 1
Wheaton (22-1-1) 0 0 0

1st Half: IC- Amy Scheffer (unassisted) 40:04

Goalie Saves: WC- Elana Cockburn (45:00) 1, Stacey Kronenberg (45:00) 2; IC- Aimee Meacham 8

Shots: WC- 21; IC- 9

Ithaca Moves on to Sectionals with 1-0 Victory Over Wheaton in NCAA Women's Soccer Tournament Second Round