Hoboken, N.J. – Julia Panko scored two goals to lead the Stevens Institute of Technology to a 4-1 victory over The Sage Colleges in an Empire 8 Conference Women's Soccer Semifinal Game at DeBaun Stadium Friday night. The Ducks improved to 14-2 and advance to the Empire 8 Championship Game Saturday at home against Utica at 7 p.m. The Gators finished the 2018 season with a record of 10-7-2.
Stevens had all 10 shots in the first half and had a 27-3 advantage for the night (11-2 on net). The hosts had 17 of the 19 corners. Senior goalkeeper Emma Augustine (Ellenville, NY/Ellenville) made seven saves in her final game in the Sage net.
With 6:30 gone in the first half, Stevens took the 1-0 lead. Panko scored an unassisted tally for her eighth of the season. The score came off a free kick well outside the 18-yard box. The goal proved to be the only score of the half, as Augustine made four saves in the first 45 minutes of play.
The Ducks added insurance just 2:54 into the second half. Erica O'Kelly picked up a loose ball after a save from an Olivia Butera shot, and fired home her second of the season. Then at 58:14, Panko scored her second of the day and ninth of the year. Butera had a long run down the far side and fed Panko, who shot it inside the near post.
Brynn Budka made it 4-0 at 84:28 after an assist by Ashleigh Nagy. Budka's first of the year came as the ball was redirected right in front of the net after a corner.
Sage senior midfielder/forward Ariannah Logan (Canajoharie, NY/Canajoharie) ended the shutout bid with her fourth of the year at 88:27. Her goal in the final two minutes provided the 4-1 final and was assisted by senior forward Samantha Trimblett (Monroe, NY/Monroe-Woodbury).
The contest marked the end of the careers of nine senior members of the Sage women's soccer program. They are goalkeeper Emma Augustine (Ellenville, NY/Ellenville), defender Nicole Bauer (Monroe, NY/Monroe-Woodbury), midfielder/forward Ariannah Logan (Canajoharie, NY/Canajoharie), forward Joleen Marfone (Remsen, NY/Remsen), defender Keeley Paull (Troy, NY/Lansingburgh), midfielder Dominique Puglisi (Schenectady, NY/Scotia Glenville), defender Madison Spohr (Ramstein, Germany), forward Samantha Trimblett (Monroe, NY/Monroe-Woodbury), and team manager Jordyn Logan (Canajoharie, NY/Canajoharie).
Trimblett wrapped up one of the best careers of any Gator in women's soccer history. She closes her career as the all-time career leader in assists at Sage with 24. and finishes with 114 career points, ranking second all-time in Sage women's soccer annals behind Rebecca Marszalek '11, who is the all-time points leader with 115. Trimblett wrapped up with 45 career goals, third all-time behind Kelley Richer '94, who is second with 48, and seven behind leader Marszalek's 52. Marfone finished sixth in career assists (16), tied for ninth in goals (24), and tied for eighth in points (64). Logan is 14th in career points with 44 and 14th in goals with 18. Marfone's 74 games played is the all-time mark and Bauer recorded her 71st career start, the only player in program history to start in 70 or more games.
Augustine, who was fifth in career goals against average (1.48), was fifth all-time in career shutouts (5.2 solo), sixth in minutes (2,376:44) and seventh in goalkeeper starts (26).