Women's Soccer Wins District Title, Punches Ticket to Nationals

WEST WINDSOR TOWNSHIP, N.J. – The Anne Arundel Community College women's soccer team erased an early two-goal deficit with four consecutive goals to defeat host Mercer County Community College, 4-3, in the NJCAA Division II East District championship Friday afternoon. The win sends the Riverhawks back to the NJCAA National Championship Tournament for the second time in three years and the first time at the NJCAA Division II level.

Emma Miga scored two goals and assisted two others in the game, which also saw goals from McKenzie Gilbert and Holly Wall. Tina Tinelli picked up an assist as AACC (13-2-1) extended its win streak to nine games.

The Vikings (14-2-2) saw their 16-game unbeaten streak come to an end on their own field after opening the game with two goals in the first 16 minutes of play. An errant clearing pass by the Riverhawks found the foot of Linnea Rameil for a goal scored from atop the box in the fifth minute. Annika Maringer finished a through ball from Ana Pacheco in the 16^th minute.

Gilbert sparked AACC's offensive outburst with a one-timer into the opposite corner of the net off a Miga corner in the 21^st minute. The Riverhawks held a 6-2 advantage in corners in the game, and didn't allow a Mercer attempt until the final 10 minutes.

Miga scored in the 29^th and 42^nd minutes to send AACC into halftime with a 3-2 lead. Tinelli sparked the first goal with a long loft ball from the other side of midfield played high into the center. The ball bounced off of several defenders' heads before Miga controlled it, drove in, and fired through the near side. The next goal was nearly identical, this time with Tinelli's pass perfectly placed in front of Miga for a quick header ahead and a tap-in at the goal mouth.

Wall scored what would become the game-winner in the 54^th minute. Miga's original shot clanged off the crossbar, but the rebound came out to Jaylin Sheffield. Sheffield got a head on the ball before Miga crossed it across the box to Wall who was streaking up the far side for a one-timer inside the near post and a 4-2 lead.

Mercer amped up the pressure as the clock ticked down. The combo of Tinelli, Eden Abey, and Megan Strevig in the back cleared out most of Mercer's threats. But the Vikings' pressure paid off in the 72^nd minute as Linnea Rameil punched in a rebound from Eva Sturm. The attack didn't let up through the rest of the game and Riverhawks' keeper Pela Saunders came up big on several occasions with four saves in the final 18 minutes. She finished the game with seven stops: one in the first half and seven in the second.

The NJCAA DII Women's Soccer Championship bracket and tournament seeding will be announced on Tuesday, November 12 via the NJCAA Network and NJCAA Soccer Twitter account. Pool play in the tournament runs from November 17-19, followed by the semifinals on November 21, and the championship on November 23, all at John Hunt Park in Huntsville, Alabama.