Lewis and Clark Box Score
Schoolcraft Box Score
Polk State Box Score
TYLER, Texas—The Harford women's soccer team dropped its opening game, 4-0, to No. 1 Lewis and Clark to fall into the loser's bracket at the NJCAA Division-I National Tournament, but won its next two straight games to claim a fifth-place national finish. Freshman Erin Lynn (Fallston, Md./Fallston) was named to the national All-Tournament team after tallying four points on two goals in two games, including the eventual game-winner against Schoolcraft in the first loser's bracket game.
The Fighting Owls (19-3-1) entered the tournament as the No. 8 seed after claiming a thrilling Region XX Championship victory over Anne Arundel and a 4-0 rout over Cape Fear in the District H Championship. The Owls saw the Region XX title game go to a shootout, as both teams were tied with two goals after regulation and two overtimes, where they rallied from a 2-0 deficit to claim the Region XX title with a 3-2 penalty-kick decision.
Harford's opening round game saw Lewis and Clark dominate, firing 21 shots, 10 on goal, while holding Harford to just six shots, three on goal, its lowest offensive output all season. Lewis and Clark also held a 10-0 advantage on corner kicks, while Harford was whistled for 11 fouls to Lewis and Clark's five. Freshman keeper Cierra Stinson (Nottingham, Md./Mercy) totaled six saves in 90:00, while Maggie Dudas stopped three shots.
With the loss, the Owls fell into the loser's bracket, where they faced No. 5 Schoolcraft. Harford took a 1-0 lead in the 29th minute, as Lynn took a feed from freshman Chrissy Czarski (Bel Air, Md./Mercy) at the 28:12 mark. Freshman Beth Lambros (Forest Hill, Md./North Harford) would tack on another goal just before the break, with an unassisted tally that just barely squeezed by in the 45th minute, 42 seconds left on the clock.
Neither team would score in the second half as Harford earned the 2-0 win to advance to the fifth-place game. The Harford defense held Schoolcraft to just six shots, three on goal, while the Owl offense pelted its opponent with 11 shots, seven on goal. Stinson made three saves in 90:00, while Kristin Dondzila totaled five for Schoolcraft and Harford held a 2-1 advantage on corners.
The fifth-place game saw Harford take on No. 2 Polk State, downing the Vikings, 2-0. Both goals came in the second half and were the result of kicks by sophomore Becca Bazemore (Churchville, Md./C. Milton Wright). The first, and eventual game-winner, came off a corner kick from Bazemore that freshman Alexa Carlevaro (Bel Air, Md./C. Milton Wright) headed into the lower-left corner at the 17:17 mark. Just over 11 minutes later, Bazemore would send a free kick to the top of the box, which Lynn finished into the goal at the 28:34 mark. Harford needed just four shots, three on goal, to claim the win, while Polk fired 17 shots at Stinson, who made nine saves in 90:00. Kayla Hanson totaled one save in 84:34, while Sarah Berberian played the last 5:26 and had zero stops.
The 2009 Harford team became the first in school history to win a game at the national tournament and the second to participate as the 2006 squad also earned a trip to nationals, while Lynn was the first-ever Harford player named to the national All-Tournament team.
