Marywood Advances to ECAC Semifinals on Penalty Kicks
Jared El Gayeh made seven saves on Tuesday's ECAC Quarterfinal before stopping two penalty kicks in the shootout.

Marywood Advances to ECAC Semifinals on Penalty Kicks

Men's Soccer - 11/9/2011 6:13:00 PM

Box Score

Scranton, PA – Marywood University's men's soccer team advanced to the Eastern States Athletic Conference (ECAC) South Region semifinals after winning a penalty kick shootout after playing Lebanon Valley College to a 1-1 tie on Wednesday afternoon.  The Pacers, who won the shootout 4-3, will take a 13-5-1 record into Saturday's semifinal round while the Flying Dutchmen end their season with a 12-8-1 mark.
 
The two teams played a scoreless first half with both teams having several dangerous opportunities apiece.  Marywood, the third seed in the tournament, held an 8-6 advantage in shots during the opening 45 minutes of play while Lebanon Valley, the six seed, had three corner kick opportunities to one for the Pacers.
 
Marywood took a 1-0 lead just 1:17 into the second half with a pair of freshman teaming up on the tally.  Jonathan Rottkamp carried the ball down the left flank before feeding classmate Kris Kassel in the center of the field, where Kassel ripped a 20-yard shot that dipped in just underneath the crossbar.
 
The Flying Dutchmen leveled the contest in the 67th minute as Conner McAuliffe played a thru-ball to Kelly Hess who scored on the breakaway.
 
Neither team was able to find the back of the net the rest of regulation, and two 10-minute overtime periods passed without a tally to send the game to the shootout.
 
Ryan Jones, Christian Lawlor, Brett Megee, and Kassel each converted their penalty kicks for Marywood.  Goalkeeper Jared El Gayeh, who turned in a fine, seven-save performance in regulation, stopped Lebanon Valley's second shooter and with the game on the line, saved the visitors' fifth shot to punch the Pacers' ticket to the semifinals.
 
Marywood held a 20-17 advantage in shots for the game while the Flying Dutchmen held a 9-5 edge in corner kicks. 
 
The Pacers will take on Medaille College, a 1-0 winner over Grove City College today, in a semfinal game on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. at Alvernia University in Reading, PA.  Top-seeded Alvernia will take on Swarthmore College at 4:00 p.m. in Saturday's other semifinal contest with the two winners meeting on Sunday for the championship at 2:00 p.m.
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