ALBANY–The College of Saint Rose scored twice in the second half and rebounded from a 1-0 deficit to upend visiting sixth seed Assumption 3-1 in tonight's
Northeast-10 Conference semifinal.
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The second seed Golden Knights (15-2-3), who are ranked #18 in this week's
NSCAA National Poll, will now meet either fifth seed Merrimack or top seed Adelphi in Sunday's championship match. Those two teams are playing tonight.
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Saint Rose, which reached the 15-win plateau for the tenth consecutive year this evening, will be aiming for its eighth NE-10 title within the past nine years.
The Golden Knights got to this juncture in part because of sophomore forward
Morgan Burchhardt who recorded her third two-goal match of the year today.
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However, Assumption (10-8-1) gained an early edge as Saint Rose surrendered just its sixth first half strike this fall. Freshman midfielder Jessica Fitzgerald got it started by deflecting a ball to sophomore forward Amanda Arnold who took one dribble to her left to create space, and lofted a shot into the top-left corner for her league leading 11th strike of the season.
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Seven minute later, Burchhardt leveled it when she gathered in a loose ball off a long volley and flicked it over Assumption junior keeper Emily Kuzma to make it 1-1 in the wake of a sudden downpour.
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The Golden Knights then developed consecutive corner kicks for Burchhardt. Kuzma knocked down her second strike off of Saint Rose senior forward
Jennifer Busk for what proved to be the game-winner midway through the second period. Burchhardt afforded the Golden Knights some breathing room when she one-timed a long rebound from 20-yards out with 12:56 remaining.
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Kuzma came up with a pair of saves for the Greyhounds, while Saint Rose freshman keeper
Madison Taylor was called upon to turn aside one threat-on-target.
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