GLASSBORO, NJ- For Ashley Hackman, the late game-winner is becoming a bit of a habit. The senior midfielder put away her second goal of the game in the 78th minute to give Eastern a 2-1 win over the 14th ranked and unbeaten Profs of Rowan. The win lifts them into the first Sweet 16 in program history. It is the third straight game that Hackman has scored the decisive goal in the final twelve minutes of action.
The game-winner came after Kara Neef's 35 yard free-kick came off the cross bar in front of the goal. Hackman and Kristine Zeiset met at the ball and after Zeiset's shot hit a defender Hackman was able to poke home her 17th of the year from close range. It is the sixth game-winning goal of the year for Hackman.
With gale-force winds heading straight downfield, the game looked certain to be a tale of two halves. Hackman won the coin toss to start the game and elected to go into the wind for the first half. That decision turned out to be a big one by the end of the day.
The hosts put pressure on immediately as NJAC Player of the year Jess Babice earned two chances in the opening moments, but both her shots went wide. Moments later, the sophomore standout broke through again, but Amanda Daveler was able to touch her high shot over the bar for a corner. The Eagles were able to defend the corner and shortly after were able to work the ball into the Rowan end for a series of chances. Jill DiRenzo earned a free kick just outside the box, and the Eagles had their first great chance of the half. Kara Neef whipped a ball into the danger area that Nicole Grindle headed, but just off goal. The Eagles were unable to generate another shot in the scrum in front of the net that followed.
The next great chance of the half also fell to the Eagles as a ball over the top of the Rowan back line held up in the wind for Kristine Zeiset. The first-year midfielder took the awkward bounce, but her shot deflected off the onrushing goalkeeper for an Eastern corner.
Rowan then began to carry the play as the Eagles began to struggle to clear their defensive zone into the wind. Daveler made six of her seven saves, including a trio of brilliant diving stops in the first half. Eastern Head Coach Dan Mouw said of his keeper's effort, "Amanda kept the game alive for us. We felt we needed to be within a goal at the break to have a chance. Their forwards are very talented, and the conditions were very tough in the goal box. She played about as well as I've seen a goalkeeper play."
Rowan was able to take the lead in the 36th minute on their only free kick of the half. Veronica Rhea cracked a shot from 35 yards out that slipped off Daveler's fingertips. The goal is just the third given up by the Eagles in the last 11 matches.
Eastern then began to push back to close the half. In the 39th minute, Hackman beat a trio of defenders and fired a skipping 20 yard shot that slid just wide of the back post and just inside of an on-rushing Corie Brant. Rowan held a 14-4 advantage in shots in the opening half.
The game changed after half. Eastern became the aggressors early as Tess Beckwith created several opportunities with strong runs up the left side. With just over a half hour to play in the match, the Eagles earned a corner kick on the left.
Neef cracked an in-swinger that bounced off an Eastern head and back to Hackman. Hackman's first shot was blocked by a lunging defender, but it sat still in the soft box. The Freedom Conference Player of the Year hit a sliding toe poke into the upper left corner of the net to knot the score at a goal apiece. Mouw said of the goal, "We saw Oneonta play Rowan yesterday, and there were several chances just like that on corners. We told the girls that there is no such thing as an ugly goal and that we won't be able to leave those chances unfinished. When we scored to tie with thirty to play, I felt very good about winning in regulation. The conditions really made it difficult today, but I am very proud that we persevered through."
Daveler had to make just one save in the second half, but that big save kept the game level and set up Hackman's late heroics. The senior made a diving save against the motion of her body on a one-time shot back to the near post.
With the 2-1 win, the Eagles advance to the NCAA Sectionals where they will take on Wisconsin Stevens Point at Messiah College on Saturday. Game times for the weekend are to be determined.
Box Score
