Thunder falls to Emory 2-1 in NCAA-III Women's Soccer National Semifinal

San Antonio, Texas – The Wheaton College women's soccer team fell just short of returning to the NCAA Division III National Championship Match in a 2-1 loss to Emory University on Friday night in the NCAA Division III Semifinal at Blossom Soccer Stadium in San Antonio. Wheaton ends the year with a 21-4-2 record. Emory (15-1-7) advances to the National Championship Match on Saturday at 5:30 PM.

A very open second half produced a flurry of activity, particularly in a three-minute stretch beginning in the 64^th minute. Emory scored a go-ahead goal at 63:59 when the Eagles' Emily Feldman registered a long goal into the net from outside of the left edge of the 18-yard box.

 
The Eagles extended the lead to 2-0 at 66:41 on a goal by Lauren Gorodetsky on an arcing blast from 25-yards out. Wheaton remarkably responded with a goal just 14-seconds later when Anna Seabolt (PICTURED LEFT) headed the ball into the net off of an Alexa Sharkey (PICTURED BELOW) assist at the 66:55 mark of the match.   
 
Each team had opportunities in the first half as Wheaton held a 9-5 edge in shots in the half and each team took three shots on goal in the half. A shot by Leah DeMoss went just over the goal with 14:47 remaining in the first half. A cross to Sarah Guidera with 12:20 left in the first half just missed as well. Thunder goalkeeper Hilary Barreto made a key save with 3:17 left before the halftime intermission, as the contest was scoreless at halftime.
 

Head coach Pete Felske noted following the match, "I told our players when we finished that I was very proud of them." He continued, "Tonight was a microcosm of our season. Today was one of those days. We played good soccer, but I don't think we played the way we wanted to play. It was a frustrating game for us, but we have come a long way since the beginning of the year."
 
Wheaton out-shot the Eagles 17-9 and the Thunder owned a 9-6 edge in shots on goal. Wheaton took five corner kicks in the match and Emory had one. Wheaton goalkeeper Hilary Barreto made four saves and allowed two goals. The Eagles' starting goalkeeper Erica Stein made three saves with no goals allowed in 45 minutes. Kaele Leonard played in net in the second half for the Eagles with four saves and one goal allowed.
 
Today's match was Wheaton's seventh appearance in the NCAA Division III Semifinals and the program's first loss in a semifinal since 2001. Wheaton is now 5-2 all-time in the National Semifinal.