Maine Advances to Title Game on Penalty Kicks

America East Goalkeeper of the Year Jasmine Phillips stopped three of the four penalty kicks she faced to lead No. 2 Maine to the title game of the 2005 America East Women’s Soccer Championship. No. 3 Binghamton played the Black Bears to a scoreless tie, but Maine advanced by winning the penalty kick shootout 3-1.

The Black Bears will meet host and No. 1 seed Boston University for the league’s championship on Saturday, November 5 at 1 p.m. The winner of the America East Championship earns the conference’s automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.

After 110 minutes of scoreless soccer, which saw Maine outshoot Binghamton 25-11, the contest had to be decided on penalty kicks. Maine’s Laura Harper started the shootout by sending her attempt to the back of the net past Bearcat goalie Kristie Bowers. Binghamton’s Kelly Sanders then stepped into the box and sent her shot past Phillips. Sanders’ goal would turn out to be the only one of the shootout session for the Bearcats.

Maine’s Marie-Andree Canuel scored on her try, followed by Phillips’ stop of Vicky Vernicek’s attempt for Binghamton. Bowers then kept the Bearcats close as she denied Marie-Michele Bouchard’s shot.

Phillips stood tall again in net as she rejected Tricia Reed’s attempt, while Natalie Berry buried her shot to give Maine a 3-1 shootout lead. With a chance to clinch a bid to the conference championship game, Phillips stuffed Meghan Taylor’s shot to enable the Black Bears to move on.

Maine advances to their third-straight title game as the Black Bears are in search of their first conference crown. Boston U. and Maine played to a scoreless tie in the 2003 championship game before the Terriers advanced to the NCAA Tournament on penalty kicks, 3-2.

The second semifinal contest between Maine and Binghamton was the fourth game of the championship, all of which went into overtime. It marked the first time in conference history that four games have gone into extra sessions in a championship.

The women’s soccer selection announcement is scheduled to be held on Monday, November 7 live on ESPNews (time TBA).

SCORING
None.

SHOTS
Binghamton: 11
Maine: 25

CORNER KICKS
Binghamton: 2
Maine: 2

SAVES
Binghamton: Kristie Bowers (90:00, 9 saves)
Maine: Jasmine Phillips (90:00, 4 saves)