Box Score Nov. 24, 2013
Box Score
MIDDLEBURY, VT - Middlebury senior Scarlett Kirk scored with only 17 seconds left on the clock, as the Panthers went on to top Hopkins 1-0 in the NCAA quarterfinals Sunday afternoon. No. 13 Middlebury improves to 17-1-3 on the season and will advance to the NCAA semifinals on December 6 to face Trinity (TX). The loss marked only the second of the season for the No. 6 Blue Jays, and snaps a 12-game unbeaten streak dating back to October 12.
The game was played under brutal conditions, with winds of over 25 mph and a temperature of 20 degrees, making the wind chill near zero. The Blue Jays were dominant in the first half with the wind at their backs, holding Middlebury without a shot and recording nine on the offensive end.
Hopkins had a number of good chances, the first of which came in the 22nd second minute as senior Kelly Baker was streaking down the left side. She hit junior Hannah Kronick with a pass in the middle, but her shot was deflected wide after hitting a defender.
Hopkins also held a 5-0 margin on corner kicks in the first half, and generated a scoring chance off one in the 35th minute. Freshman Adrian Johnson crashed on the net after a corner kick from the right side, but her shot traveled wide right of the net as the match remained scoreless.
The second half was a different story, as the Panthers began to generate more pressure on the Jays. Middlebury held the shot advantage in the second, registering 10 shots and forcing senior goalie Kelly Leddy to make seven saves. Hopkins only generated five shots in the closing half, and could not find the net for the first time in a match all season.
Hopkins will end the 2013 campaign with a 21-2-1 record and one of the best seasons ever for Hopkins soccer. This year's 21 wins is tied for the most ever by a Hopkins team, which included the program's 11th Centennial Conference Championship and 12th NCAA Tournament appearance. Head coach Leo Weil reached a coaching milestone, earning his 300th career victory as the head coach for Hopkins on October 23.
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