Williams Women Take Care of Colby

Advance to NESCAC semifinals with 4-0 win

Novemeber 3, 2008

Defending NESCAC champions and top-seeded Williams College took care of business against eighth-seeded Colby Sunday afternoon in the opening round of the conference tournament, dealing the Mules a 4-0 defeat.

The two teams played in the regular season on Oct. 19, where Williams just edged out Colby in a 1-0 result.

The Ephs were not playing consistent soccer that weekend, but brought their offensive chops in Sunday’s contest. The Williams defense shut down its opposition once again, allowing just two shots and zero corners. The Ephs, meanwhile, had 24 shots and seven corners, and made the advantage count early and often.

Williams scored its first goal just five minutes after the opening whistle with a heads-up play by Gabrielle Woodson. Brianna Wolfson laced a through pass to Woodson, who smartly waited for her defender to pass her to avoid the offside call. After collecting the pass, Woodson drew the keeper out of net, faked to the right and then maneuvered left to tap the ball into the goal for a 1-0 advantage.

The Ephs built a more comfortable lead before the half with 12:55 remaining on the clock, as Jacqueline Russo deflected a pass to Annelise Snyder, who took a hard shot to the far left corner for the score.

Colby had no answer for the Williams attack, and the Ephs continued to pad their lead in the second period. Wolfson scored the team’s third goal at 65:25. Retrieving the ball amidst traffic in the box, she completed a little side step move and found space to knock the ball into the goal. Sarah Walmsley tallied the fourth goal at 77:59.

The Ephs will host the semifinals and finals of the NESCAC tournament for the second consecutive year next weekend.

“It is going to be an incredibly competitive four-team tournament,” said Ephs head coach Michelyne Pinard. “We are glad that we are home, and it’s going to be a great three games of soccer, and we hope to be playing in two of them.”

Williams will face the winner of the Bowdoin/Tufts game Saturday at 11 a.m. on Cole Field in Williamstown, Mass. Should they win Saturday, the Ephs will advance to the NESCAC finals for a Sunday contest.

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