MANCHESTER, N.H. – The No. 1-seeded Saint Anselm women's soccer team clinched a spot in its first Northeast 10 Conference Championship Game since 1991 after advancing 3-2 in penalty shootouts. The Hawks tied 2-2 with the No. 4-seeded Adelphi University at Melucci Field in the NE10 Semifinals on Thursday afternoon, and after 90 minutes and two 10-minute overtime periods, Saint Anselm secured its birth in the title game in penalty kicks.
 

Swidorski was tested early, making her first save of the game in the third minute, diving to her left on an Adelphi shot that was hurtling towards the top right corner of the net.

On a Panthers corner, sophomore Kaitlyn LeBrun stepped in front of an Adelphi shot to make a defensive save and keep the game scoreless in the tenth minute.

In the 29th minute, Adelphi's Kayleigh Goodrich sent a centering pass to Madison Apicella who tapped the shot into the bottom left corner of the net to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead.

Apicella sent in a corner and it ricocheted off of Carmen Reinerink's head, landing at the feet of Sophia Cataldo who lunged towards the ball and got her foot on it and scored to put the Panthers up 2-0 in the 38th-minute. Before the end of the first half, Swidorski made another pair of saves to keep the score at 2-0 after 45 minutes of play.

Deneen had an open look in the 58th minutes off a crossing pass from freshman Nicole Schneider, but her header was stopped by Adelphi goalie Peyton DeRouen. The Hawks' got on the board in the 66th minute after Muir made a run down the right side of the pitch before sending in a crossing pass to Patturelli who tapped it in with her right foot to the bottom right corner of the net.

Sophomore Amarys Jimenez was taken down in the box by the Adelphi goalie, earning the Hawks' a penalty kick that was taken by Deneen, who buried the shot into the bottom left corner of the net to tie the game at 2-2 in the 80th minute.
 

Swidorski made a pair of impressive saves and a third Adelphi shot went off the crossbar as the Panthers were unable to score, and the score remained 2-2 after 90 minutes of action.

In the first overtime period, Deneen nearly netted the game winner but her header went right into the waiting arms of DeRouen as she made her fifth save of the game in the 97th minute.

On a Panthers corner kick in the 104th minute, Swidorski made a diving save to her left off a header that nearly snuck into the bottom right corner of the net, but the sophomore netminder's heroics kept the score knotted at 2-2.
 

The Hawks' had multiple scoring opportunities at the end of the second overtime, but were unable to capitalize as the two teams headed for a penalty kick shootout after 110 minutes of play.

Senior goalkeeper Amelia Hohos checked in for the Hawks' for penalty kicks and did not disappoint. After the two teams traded misses to start penalty shootouts, senior Addie Birkett recorded the first goal for the Hawks' but it was quickly answered as Goodrich netted her attempt.
 

Muir and Jimenez both converted on their penalty attempts while an Adelphi attempt hit the crossbar as the Hawks' took a 3-1 lead but Apicella kept the Panthers alive at 3-2 with a make on her attempt.
 

Deneen stepped up with a chance to win it, but DeRouen made an impressive save to keep the score at 3-2. Adelphi's Kara DeBlaiso had a final attempt to keep the Panthers in it, but her shot ricocheted off the left post and out of play as Hohos secured the Hawks' spot in the NE10 Championship game.
 

The Hawks (10-2-4, 7-0-2 NE10) will take on the winner of No.-2 seeded Franklin Pierce and No.3-seeded Saint Michael's, who play tonight at 7 p.m. in Colchester, Vt., at Melucci Field on Sunday, Nov. 16 at 1:00 p.m.

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