DUNDALK, Md. — The Harford Community College women's soccer team punched its ticket to the NJCAA Region 20 Division II Tournament championship Wednesday night, earning a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Anne Arundel Community College at CCBC Dundalk.
Sophomore forward Lila Vincenti scored the game's only goal in the 58th minute, finishing a pass from Amira Hines to lift the Fighting Owls past the Riverhawks and send Harford to the championship game for an opportunity to claim its fifth consecutive Region 20 title.
Harford improved to 14-1-2 overall and remained unbeaten in Region 20 play at 11-0-2. The Fighting Owls controlled much of the contest offensively, outshooting Anne Arundel 28-7 and putting 18 attempts on goal compared to just six for the Riverhawks. Harford also held a 7-0 advantage in corner kicks.
Despite the considerable statistical advantage, Anne Arundel goalkeeper Ryleigh Smoot kept the Riverhawks within striking distance throughout the night, recording 17 saves in 90 minutes of action.
The Fighting Owls established their offensive presence almost immediately, earning four corner kicks within the opening five minutes. Annabelle Lathroum nearly capitalized on the early pressure, sending a header wide in the third minute.
Harford continued to generate opportunities throughout the opening half, testing Smoot with shots from multiple players and areas of the field. Madelyn Wlodarczyk put an attempt on target in the 13th minute, followed by shots from Macy Forest, Victoria Mendez and Hailey Cain. Smoot turned away each of those efforts to preserve the scoreless tie.
Mendez created another opportunity in the 21st minute, forcing a save after an earlier attempt sailed wide. Cain followed with a shot on target just over a minute later, but Smoot again came up with the stop.
The Fighting Owls continued to apply pressure as the half progressed. Sydney McLaughlin put two shots on goal, Maribella Sanchez tested Smoot in the 31st minute, and Forest forced another save in the closing minutes of the period.
Harford finished the first half with 14 shots, including eight on goal, while limiting Anne Arundel to five attempts and four shots on target. The Riverhawks' best opportunities came from Maddie Raynes, Kat Budowski and Riley Sheets, but Harford goalkeeper Olivia Wollschlager turned aside all four attempts that reached her.
The second half began much like the first, with Harford maintaining possession and continuing to attack the Riverhawks' defensive third. Forest forced another save less than four minutes after the restart, and Cain put another attempt on target in the 54th minute.
The breakthrough finally arrived at the 57:21 mark.
After entering the game earlier in the half, Hines helped create the decisive opportunity, delivering an assist to Vincenti, who found the back of the net to give Harford a 1-0 advantage. Vincenti's goal was her first of the match and ultimately proved to be the difference.
The Riverhawks attempted to respond immediately, but Wollschlager denied a shot from Raynes just over a minute after Harford took the lead.
With the advantage, the Fighting Owls continued to pursue an insurance goal rather than retreat into a defensive posture. Victoria Mendez, Lathroum and Vincenti each put shots on target during a three-minute stretch beginning in the 64th minute, but Smoot kept the deficit at one.
Harford continued to create opportunities throughout the final 20 minutes. Forest forced another save in the 74th minute, while Sydney Stoneback put an attempt on goal in the 77th. Forest and Lathroum also generated additional chances, including two attempts from Lathroum in the 86th minute.
Vincenti tested Smoot twice in the closing minutes, with the Riverhawks goalkeeper making saves on both attempts to keep Anne Arundel within reach. However, Wollschlager and the Harford defense held firm, denying a final opportunity from Sheets in the 90th minute to secure the shutout.
Wollschlager finished with six saves for the Fighting Owls, while Vincenti led Harford with five shots, four of which were on target. Forest also recorded five shots and four shots on goal. Cain contributed four shots, including two on target, while Mendez finished with three shots and two on goal. McLaughlin recorded two shots on target.
The 18 shots on goal represented a significant offensive advantage for Harford, which put three times as many attempts on target as Anne Arundel. Smoot's 17 saves underscored the number of scoring opportunities generated by the Fighting Owls, who consistently forced the Riverhawks goalkeeper to make difficult stops to keep the game close.
Harford now turns its attention to Saturday's championship matchup against CCBC Essex. The Fighting Owls and Knights played to a 1-1 draw on Oct. 6, setting the stage for another competitive meeting with the Region 20 title on the line.
The Knights have not defeated Harford since September 2021, while their last postseason victory over the Fighting Owls came in October 2012. Harford head coach Rebecca Volk is 4-1-1 against Essex since taking over the program, and her teams went 3-0 against the Knights during her playing career at Harford.
