The seeds held true in the 2014 America East Women's Soccer quarterfinals as No. 3 New Hampshire and No. 4 Albany advanced with wins on Thursday night. The Wildcats advance to play No. 2 seed UMBC on Sunday at 1 p.m., while Albany will travel to top-seeded Hartford on Sunday at 2 p.m. Recap the games:
Albany 2, Maine 0
Box Score
Albany scored twice on the top-ranked defense in the America East to beat Maine, 2-0, in the America East women's soccer quarterfinals on Thursday night at Bob Ford Field in Albany, N.Y.
The Great Danes, who ranked at the top of the conference in goals per game, found the net twice in the opening 19 minutes of play to take control and hold on to advance to the semifinals for the first time since 2011.
Sophomore Cailtyn Paltsios opened the scoring with a lofted shot from 22-yards out that beat Maine keeper, Claudia Dube-Trempe, off the inside of the far post and into the back of the net in the 13th minute. It was the fourth goal of the season for the All-Conference Second-Team seleciton.
Just six minutes later, freshman Kiana Rugar, sprung classmate and America East Rookie of the Year, Vivian Vega, free with a through-ball. Vega took one-touch with her left foot and then finished just under the dive of Dube-Trempe to make it, 2-0, Albany.
Maine turned the pressure up the rest of the half, and came within inches of getting on the scoreboard in the 33rd minute. Eve L'Abbe hit a powerful strike from 18-yards out that dipped and hit the crossbar, and Charlene Achille's header on the rebound went just high as the Black Bears failed to get on the board.
Maine outshot the Great Danes 20-10 in the contest including 10-4 in the second half but were unable to beat Alana Brennan, who finished with eight saves in the shutout.
Albany moves to 4-3-1 all-time in the America East Championship and will face No. 1 Hartford on Sunday at 1 p.m. in the semifinals.
New Hampshire 1, Binghamton 1
(New Hampshire advances, 4-2, on Penalty Kicks)
Box Score
Third-seeded New Hampshire earned its first America East tournament win since 2007, advancing past No. 6 Binghamton in penalty kicks in Durham, N.H., on Thursday night. The Wildcats will travel to No. 2 seed UMBC on Sunday at 1 p.m.
After a scoreless first half, New Hampshire found the scoreboard first as freshman Brooke Murphy continued to show her scoring touch. The All-Rookie selection took a right-footed shot from the right side of the field from 30-yards out into the far netting to put the home side up, 1-0, in the 62nd minute.
The Wildcats held the, 1-0, advantage for 26-plus minutes. In the waning moments of the second half, Binghamton earned a corner kick and took advantage of the opportunity. Rebecca Raber swung the kick into the box from the left corner, connecting with Valeria McNamara for a header that tied the game at, 1-1, in the 89th minute of action.
Neither team was able to breakthrough in either overtime session, with both goalkeepers making big saves. Binghamton's Katie Hatziyianis made a pair of stops, while UNH's Mimi Borkan took away a goal in the final minute of the second overtime session.
The game went into a shootout, the first contest to be decided in PKs in the America East tournament since 2012.
After both shooters converted in the first round, Borkan made a huge save for the Wildcats in the second round to give UNH the advantage in the shootout. Murphy and Jenna Shaddock would each convert on their opportunites while another miss from Binghamton made it, 3-1, heading into the fourth round.
Binghamton's Stephani Church converted to keep the Bearcats alive and make it, 3-2, before New Hampshire's Kirsten O'Neil clinched the game for the Wildcats.
New Hampshire moved to 5-14-3 in championship play and advance to the semifinals for the first time in seven years.