PALO ALTO, Calif. – The Pacific Tigers responded to an early Vermont tally with four first half goals and held on late to advance to the America East semifinals with a 4-3 win at Varsity Turf on the campus of Stanford University Friday evening.
 
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Box Score

COACH'S QUOTE
"You know there will be nerves and a lot of emotion in a tournament game, and I think we could have done better to manage ourselves in the first half, it was great to put the first goal in, but we needed to value possession more," head coach Kate Pfeifer said. "Too many unforced errors resulted in opportunities for Pacific and they did well to capitalize. I'm very impressed with the way we responded in the second half, controlling the play, not allowing a shot against and putting up two more goals. We had a fighting, championship mentality right to the last second and I am incredibly proud of this group for the resiliency they have developed all season long, and the way they competed today. We are disappointed not to be moving on, but this group has proven that Vermont deserved to be here.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Sydney Melfi opened the scoring with her third goal of the season in the fourth minute. Claudia Cotter took the ball in transition and cut through the Pacific defense before centering a feed that Melfi one-timed past the Tigers Marlise van Tonder (6 saves.
• In the tenth minute the Tigers responded after winning a penalty corner. Kriekie van Wyk put a move on a Vermont defender before rifling a shot past Vermont's Sierra Espeland (4 saves) for her team-leading 17^th goal of the year.  
• Just over a minute later the Tigers earned a penalty shot after a rebound opportunity struck Vermont's Pleun Haantjes in the crease.
• Kriekie van Wyk struck for the second time on the penalty shot beating Espeland with a hard, low shot to her left.
• In the 21^st minute the Tigers capitalized after their high pressure caused a Vermont turnover deep in its own end. Rylee Comeau quickly converted the opportunity into Pacific's third goal of the evening.
• Pacific extended its lead to three in transition in the 24^th minute. Comeau took the ball into the crease and as Espeland came out to intercept the ball got through to Pacific's Tayler Silacci who backhanded it home for her third goal of the season.
• The second half was dominated by Vermont, they outshot Pacific 10-0 and earned eight penalty corners.
• In the 61st minute the Catamounts cut the deficit to two when Landon Warren scored her team-leading ninth goal of the season.
• With 56 seconds left in regulation Jackie Gillen scored her second goal of the season on a scramble in front of the net putting the Catamounts within striking distance of overtime.
• For the final 56 seconds the Catamounts pulled Espeland for an extra field player. Vermont got the ball in the crease in the dying seconds but couldn't get a shot off or earn a corner.

 
NOTES

• Friday was Vermont's only loss of the season when scoring three goals.
• Friday marked the final game for the Catamounts' five seniors – Jackie Gillen, Carla Godsman, Olivia Hurd, Lauren Tucker and Landon Warren.
• The Catamounts conclude the 2018 campaign with a record of 8-11. The eight wins are the most by Vermont since 2008.