ECAC South Women's Soccer Preview: Frostburg State Tabbed No. 1 Seed
CENTERVILLE, Mass. – Top-seeded Frostburg State University (15-2-2 overall) will host the 2011 Eastern College Athletic Conference Division III South Women’s Soccer Championship that will begin on Saturday and conclude on Sunday. The four-team field also includes No. 2 seed Stevenson University, No. 4 seed Penn State Altoona and No. 6 seed Albright College.
The semifinal round pits host Frostburg against Penn State Altoona at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday and Stevenson against Albright at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday. The semifinal winners will meet on Sunday for the championship match scheduled to begin at 12:00 p.m.
Frostburg State boasts a 7-2-2 record at home and will rely on leading goal-scorer sophomore Adria Graham to continue her strong season. Credited with 16 goals and one assist so far, Graham scored the opening and game-winning goals in Frostburg’s 4-1 defeat of No. 8 seed Grove City College. Frostburg’s three goalkeepers have combined for a 0.50 goals-against average and a 0.896 save percentage, allowing only 10 goals. The team has taken 299 shots, 162 of them on goal, for a total of 37 goals.
No. 2 seed Stevenson is 6-1-1 in road matches, 13-5-3 overall. Stevenson has been paced by senior forward Stephanie Eyler who has scored 13 goals and three assists for 29 points on the season. Eyler scored three goals in Stevenson’s 7-0 defeat of No. 7 seed Neumann University in the ECAC Quarterfinals. Stevenson has outshot opponents 373 to 177 and 190 of those shots have been on goal leading to the team’s 47 goals. Goalkeeper Brittany Ross anchors the team with a 0.78 GAA, a 0.802 save percentage and 10 shutouts.
Penn State Altoona defeated No. 5 Penn State Abington, 2-0, in the opening round of the tournament. Junior forward Allysia Ketchem leads Penn State Altoona with 12 goals and seven assists for 31 points in 2011. Penn State Altoona has taken 311 shots this season, 174 of them on goal. The team has scored 60 goals. Goalkeepers Lindsay Raspanti and Erica Bridge have helped provide solid defense by allowing only 13 goals, combining on a 0.60 GAA, 0.833 save percentage and 10 shutouts.
Albright (9-4-5 overall) upset No.3 Swarthmore College (12-6-0 overall) in its quarterfinal matchup by a score of 1-0. Forwards Jordan Cassidy and Erin Hand are point leaders for the Lions, scoring a combined 15 goals and eight assists for 38 points. Hand scored the unassisted goal to clinch the semifinals in the first half of competition. Albright has taken 199 shots this season, 111 of them on goal for a total of 37 goals. Albright’s three goalkeepers have combined for a 1.20 GAA, a 0.787 save percentage and have been scored on only 23 times.
Tale of the Tape: Team-by-Team Comparisons
| Team | GF | GA | Shots | SOG | GAA | Save% |
| FSU | 37 | 10 | 299 | 162 | 0.50 | .896 |
| SU | 47 | 17 | 373 | 190 | 0.78 | .802 |
| PSUA | 60 | 13 | 311 | 174 | 0.60 | .833 |
| AC | 37 | 23 | 199 | 111 | 1.20 | .787 |
--JJ Archibald, Asa S. Bushnell Sport Administration - Leagues & Affiliates Assistant