ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE WOMEN'S SOCCER
Wednesday, October 28, 1998

NEAMAND'S LATE GOAL PUTS ETOWN BACK IN MAC FINALS; JAYS HAND SCRANTON THIRD STRAIGHT SEMIFINAL DEFEAT, 1-0

ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. --- The Elizabethtown women's soccer team is heading to the Middle Atlantic Conference title game for the third straight season.

The Scranton Royals are heading out of Elizabethtown with a one-goal semifinal loss, also for the third straight year.

Tanis Neamand scored on a goalmouth scramble in the 88th minute to lift the Blue Jays over Scranton, 1-0, in their MAC semifinal match on Wednesday.  With the win, Etown improved to 10-8-1 on the season and will host the MAC championship match on Saturday, October 31 against Messiah or Drew.  Game time is to be announced.

The goal, Neamand's second of the 1998 season, allowed the Blue Jays to knock the Royals out of the conference postseason for the third straight year.  Etown also won semifinal matches at home in 1996 (1-0) and 1997 (2-1 in triple overtime).

Kristy Wade led the Blue Jays with five shots on the afternoon while Neamand and Andrea Thompson fired three shots apiece.  Scranton goalkeeper Meghan Quinlan made ten saves ­ many of the spectacular variety ­ to keep the game scoreless until the closing moments.

The Royals' best chance came in the game's opening minutes when Patty Dougherty had a point-blank shot stopped by Etown goalie Bethann Rumpp.  Dougherty, who took three of her team's seven shots, was also stopped by winning goalie Lisa Blanker only moments after Neamand gave Etown a 1-0 lead.

Etown will be seeking its second MAC championship on Saturday in the program's 11-year history.  The Blue Jays captured the conference title with a 7-0 win over Drew in 1996.

Scoring:
EC--Tanis Neamand 2 (unassisted), 87:32

Shots-Corners: US 7-4, EC 21-10.  Fouls: US 10, EC 9.  Goalie Saves: Scranton 10 (Meghan Quinlan), Elizabethtown 6 (Bethann Rumpp 2, Lisa Blanker 4 - entered at 45:00).