DARTMOUTH, Mass. – Sophomore Ella Fraser (Nottingham, N.H.) scored in the 83rd minute as Plymouth State University salvaged a 1-1 draw at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth in a Little East Conference women's soccer match at Cressy Field on Friday night.
 
The two teams entered the night tied for the final playoff spot for next week's LEC Tournament, with a win guaranteeing the victor a spot in the six-team field. UMass Dartmouth grabbed a lead in the 23rd minute and the Corsairs looked poised to reach the postseason as the advantage held late into the second half.
 
Junior Nevaeh Petruzzi (Newmarket, N.H.) played a long pass through a cluster of defenders and Fraser ran onto the ball for a one-on-one with the Corsairs' goalkeeper, who required a diving stop to turn aside the initial shot. Fraser ran down the rebound, though, and turned and fired into the back of the net to pull even with just 7:35 left on the clock.
 
Both sides had opportunities to walk away with the win in the final five minutes. Petruzzi whistled a shot off the crossbar and graduate student Abbey Johnson (Orlando, Fla.) made a great play to break up a UMD scoring chance moments later. It looked like Fraser would score the game winner with just three seconds remaining, but an offsides call negated the goal as the teams settled for the draw.
 
All eyes will turn to tomorrow's action, as the Panthers can secure the sixth seed with a Rhode Island College loss or tie against WestConn. Plymouth State holds the tiebreaker over the Corsairs thanks to a win over WestConn on Homecoming weekend.
 
With a win, the Anchorwomen would sneak past PSU for the final playoff spot.
 
Plymouth State moves to 6-10-1 (2-5-1 LEC), while the Corsairs end the year at 5-10-3 (2-5-1 LEC).
 
 
The Basics:

• Plymouth State 1, UMass Dartmouth 1
  • Plymouth State (6-10-1, 2-5-1 LEC)
  • UMass Dartmouth (5-10-3, 2-5-1 LEC)

How it Happened:

• UMass Dartmouth broke the scoreless tie in the 23rd minute when a bouncing ball off a corner kick was blasted into the left corner for a 1-0 advantage.
• Senior Tindra Bergstrand (Taby, Sweden) won a battle for the ball in the right corner and sent a pass to the top of the box for junior Olivia Howard (Berwick, Maine) in the 36th minute, but the ball took an awkward bounce and Howard's shot went high.
• Three minutes later, Fraser made a run up the right sideline before sending a pass to Petruzzi in front, but her shot was blocked and the Corsairs would take the 1-0 lead into halftime.
• UMD had a chance to increase the lead in the 56th minute when a through ball led to a breakout chance, but senior Erin Cammarota (Goffstown, N.H.) made a nice play to break up the opportunity and freshman Christa Giansiracusa (Tewksbury, Mass.) made a save on a half volley attempt on the ensuing corner kick to keep it a one-goal deficit.
• It looked like the Panthers would pull even in the 74th minute as Howard served a beautiful corner kick just over the goalkeepers' hands, where Bergstrand drove a forceful header toward the open goal, but a UMD defender recovered to clear the ball off the goal line.
• Cammarota delivered a free kick from 40 yards out into the box where Fraser attempted to run onto the ball, but it ended up just out of her reach as the goalkeeper hauled it in.
• Petruzzi settled the ball near midfield and played a long pass through traffic to Fraser, who got behind the defense for a one-on-one with the UMD goalie. The keeper made a diving stop on the initial shot but Fraser was able to run down the rebound and turn and fire before the goalie could recover to pull even with just 7:35 remaining.
• The final five minutes were a collection of frantic opportunities for both teams. Petruzzi ripped a shot from the corner of the box that hit the crossbar. UMass Dartmouth pushed forward in a counterattack, leading to a breakaway chance, but Johnson recovered to prevent the hosts from getting a shot off.
• PSU made one final push as the clock was winding down, but an offsides call negated the potential game-winner as the teams settled for the draw.

By the Numbers:

• Fraser's 12 goals are tied for the ninth-most in a season in program history and are the most since Mallory Lloyd scored 12 during the 2017 campaign. Her 27 points this fall are the most since Lloyd posted 30 during the 2019 season.
• Giansiracusa finished with six saves to reduce her goals against average to 1.95 for the year.
• UMass Dartmouth held a 17-10 advantage in shots, including a 12-6 edge in the second half, but the PSU defense was up to the challenge.
• The Panthers are seeking their first trip to the LEC Tournament since 2019.
• Plymouth State leads the head-to-head series, 20-11-6. Seven of the last eight meetings resulted in a tie or one-goal decision.

Up Next:

• Should Rhode Island College lose or tie tomorrow, the Panthers will be the sixth seed for the LEC Tournament and will travel to third-seeded WestConn on Tuesday (Nov. 5). A win by the Anchorwomen would end the Panthers' season.

 
 
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