AMHERST, Mass. – For the first time in program history, the Wesleyan women's soccer team will be playing for a NESCAC title. The second-seed and No. 14 nationally-ranked Cardinals took down the third-seed and No. 17 ranked Hamilton, 2-0, on Saturday afternoon from Hitchcock Field on the campus of Amherst College. Wesleyan (14-1-1) awaits a Sunday showdown with fourth-seeded Middlebury (12-3-2) at Noon in what will be the Cardinals' first-ever NESCAC Championship game appearance.

Wesleyan dominated every facet of this contest, outshooting Hamilton (13-2-2) 19-6 while holding the Continentals without a shot on-target for the entire match. The Cardinals earned their second win over Hamilton in a span of two weeks, as Wesleyan has handed the Continentals both of their two losses on the season (3-0 Cardinal home win back on Oct. 23). This also signaled just the third time Hamilton has been held scoreless in 17 games this season.
 
HIGHLIGHTS:

• Perhaps Hamilton looked most-threating in the opening few minutes as Hyla Mosher and Caroline Dawson both had shots blocked within the first four minutes of play.
• After that initial pressure, Wesleyan's offense opened up and generated five shots in the course of three minutes. All that pressure ultimately paid off as Audrey Lavey '23 and Emily Ribatt '21, P'22 worked a great series of passes to one another on the far sideline. Following a throw-in, Ribatt swung a right-footed cross into the box that found the head of Grace Devanny '23 who skied over the Continental defender. Devanny's header was lofted to the opposite post, past a helpless Caity Smith in net as Wesleyan took a 1-0 lead in the 26^th minute.

 

• Wesleyan continued to dominate possession as the first half went along, nearly adding a second goal on multiple occasions as the Cardinals attempted six shots (three on-target) in the final 11+ minutes but Smith made all three stops to keep Hamilton just one goal down at the break.
• Devanny was mere inches away from netting her second as she sprinted past a Hamilton defender to track down a lofted through ball from midfield. With just Smith to beat, Devanny fired a low shot to the keeper's right but she stuck out a leg just in time to knock away the would-be goal.
• Hamilton had very little in the way of chances as the game went along and Wesleyan was able to find the insurance marker in the 80^th minute as Dani Milovanov '23 shielded off several challengers in the box before she nudged a pass to Danielle Soto '23 who poked the ball past a sprawling Smith, finding the back of the net.
• Hamilton managed two shots in the closing minutes, both of which were off-target, as the Cardinal defense closed the door on an impressive showing that helped pave the way for the trip to the title game.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Devanny's game-winning tally in the 26^th minute is her 10^th goal of the season, sixth game-winner and 20^th career goal for the junior forward.
• Soto's strike is her second goal of the season
• Ribatt was credited with the assist on Devanny's goal to give her four on the year while Milovanov's assist on Soto's tally is also her fourth of 2021
• Much credit belongs to Wesleyan's back line – Ribatt, Julia Meehan '21.5, Chloe Odabashian '23, Cheyanne Ollie '23 and Caty Clements '25 – along with defensive midfielder Melissa Wilhelm '22 who all combined to frustrate Hamilton and hold the Continentals to 0 shots on-target in the semifinal match
• Sarah Hammond '22 got the win in net, registering her 25^th career win and 11^th career clean sheet

UP NEXT:
Wesleyan is set to face Middlebury in the NESCAC final. The Panthers are making their third consecutive trip to the NESAC Championship game, having won the title in 2018 (lost to Amherst in 2019). Middlebury is coming off a resounding performance in the semifinals, overcoming a 2-0 halftime deficit, sending the game into PKs where the Panthers outlasted Amherst 4-3 to punch their ticket to the title game.