Oct. 31, 2009

Stony Brook, N.Y. - Stony Brook University's women's soccer team will continue its quest for its first America East championship on Sunday, traveling to take on top-seeded Boston University in the America East tournament semifinals on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. The No. 4 Seawolves advanced to the semifinals with a 2-0 victory over No. 5 Albany on Thursday night at LaValle Stadium. Click Here For Live Stats To Sunday's game.

The victory over the Great Danes put SBU (7-9-2) into the America East semifinals for the third straight season. Freshman Meghan Gilley (Macungie, Pa.) scored the game-winning goal in the 68th minute and freshman Sa'sha Kershaw (Baltimore, Md.) then provided an insurance goal with just over 10 minutes remaining as she converted on a penalty kick.

Gilley has now scored a team-best six goals this season while Kershaw has added five goals and two assists. Senior goalkeeper Marisa Viola (Cutchogue, N.Y.) posted her fifth shutout of the season on Thursday, making four saves. Selected to the 2009 All-America East second team on Wednesday, Viola now has 26 career shutouts.

Viola was also recently named LI Soccer Magazine's College Player of the Month for September after she posted shutouts in four of the Seawolves first five America East games. Viola ranks second in the America East with 119 saves.

Playing in front of Viola, senior Alexandra Teti (Downington, Pa.) has been the anchor of the Seawolves defense. Teti has played the most minutes of any Seawolves field player (1369) and was named to the All-America East first team on Wednesday.

Boston University finished the regular season 12-5-2 overall and 7-1-0 in the America East. The Seawolves defeated the Terriers, 2-1, on Oct. 15 behind early goals from Kershaw and sophomore Dominique Adamo (Ramsey, N.J.). The victory not only snapped the Terriers seven-game winning streak but also handed them their first loss against an America East opponent in 22 games.

The Terriers are led by 2009 America East Midfielder of the Year Emily Pallotta, who ranks second in the conference in goals (seven). Casey Brown earned America East Defender of the Year honors for the third straight season for the Terriers as she anchored a BU defense that posted 11 shutouts this season.

Sunday's game will be a rematch of the 2008 America East title game when the No. 1 Terriers edged the No. 2 Seawolves, 2-1. The game was scoreless at halftime before BU scored goals in the 72nd and 74th minute to grab a 2-0 lead. SBU did not go away though, cutting the Terrier lead in half on a goal from Adamo with 2:09 remaining.

But the Seawolves could score the equalizer over the final two minutes of the game as BU held on for the victory. Viola was outstanding in net, making 11 saves.

Stony Brook Seawolves Women's Soccer

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