GETTYSBURG, Pa. -- Trinity (Conn.) made history on Sunday afternoon, topping host Gettysburg 16-8 in the NCAA Division III quarterfinals at Clark Field. With the win, the Bantams will make their third consecutive appearance in the semifinals.
The Bantams improve to 18-2 with the victory and will return to Gettysburg next weekend to square off with Cortland State at 1 p.m. ET May 24. The loss snapped an 18-game home winning streak for the Bullets who end their season with an 18-3 record. The Bantams will face Cortland State in the national semifinals for the third year in a row.
In its 14th consecutive win, Trinity was led offensively by senior tri-captain Shea Kusiak with 3 goals and a season-high five assists. Seven different players scored goals in the game for the Bantams as Kathleen Timmons, Caroline Hayes, Molly Cox and Martha Griffin each had multi-goal performances for the visitors. Cox had four goals, including a three in a row midway through the second half, while Griffin recorded her eighth game with three or more goals this season.
Kelsey Markiewicz and Mandy Buell led the offensive charge for the Bullets. Markiewicz had two goals and an assist, while Buell scored twice. Maggie Connolly was the other member of Gettysburg to register a multi-goal game.
In the first half, the Bantams held a commanding 15-8 advantage in shots and won 7 of 11 draw controls. Trinity scored the first two goals of the game as Renee Olsen and Griffin both beat Gettysburg netminder Shannon Keeler. The Bullets would rally to score two goals sandwiched around a Kusiak marker as Trinity led 3-2 12 minutes into play. Following the Gettysburg goal by Markiewicz, Trinity netted four unanswered goals to hold a five-goal edge. During the run, four different Bantams scored as Lindsay Mullaney, Kusiak, Cox and Hayes buried shots. Gettysburg capped the scoring in the opening 30 minutes as Markiewicz fired a shot past Trinity goalie Emily Mooney. Mooney had a good first half for the Bantams, turning aside three shots, two of which came on free-position shots.
In the second half, Trinity scored three goals in the first two and a half minutes to build their lead up to seven at 10-3. After a Hayes goal made it 11-3, Gettysburg cut into the deficit with a goal from Maggie Connolly. Following Connolly's tally, Trinity netted four unanswered goals for the third time in the contest to stretch its lead to 15-4. Down the stretch, the Bullets saw their rally fall short as the Bantams controlled the ball.
Mooney picked up her 17th win of the year for Trinity as she made five saves, while Keeler stopped five shots in a losing effort for Gettysburg.
Trinity held a 29-15 advantage in shots, while grabbing 18 groundballs to the Bullets eight. The Bantams won 17-of-28 draw controls and converted four of their five free-position shots.
