THE BASICS:

-Score: Assumption 0, American Int'l 0 - Shootout: Assumption 5, AIC 3

-Records: Assumption (10-7-1, 8-6-1 NE-10); American Int'l (12-5-2, 10-3-2 NE-10)

-Location: Springfield, Mass. (Abdow Field)

-The Lead: The Assumption College women's soccer team earned a thrilling shootout victory over AIC on Tuesday night to advance to the Northeast-10 Conference Semifinals against Saint Rose on Friday. The Hounds claimed a victory in the match with a 5-3 advantage in shootout penalty kicks.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

-After 110 minutes of scoreless play, the Hounds and the Yellow Jackets lined up for a penalty shootout to decide the winning team would advance to the NE-10 Semifinal, and the team that would end its season. 

-Senior Lily Smith (Middletown, Conn. / Middletown) of Assumption was the first to kick for the Hounds. She sailed the ball high and to the left, past AIC goalkeeper Rachel Edgin for Assumption's first point. 

-AIC's Romina Bell was blocked by Assumption's junior goalkeeper Emily Kuzma (East Haven, Conn. / East Haven) to keep the score 1-0.

-Junior Tayla Morais (Taunton, Mass. / Taunton) notched the Hounds' second goal of the shootout period with another high shot to the left, 2-0 Hounds.

-AIC was successful on its second attempt to make it 2-1 before senior Paige Radomski (Kingston, Mass. / Silver Lake Regional) increased the Hound lead to 3-1. The Yellow Jackets netted their third kick to make it 3-2, Hounds, sophomore Amanda Arnold (Saco, Maine / Thornton Academy) stepped up with a shot to left to increase the Assumption lead to 4-2 and AIC's Jessica Margaretta snuck one past Kuzma to make it 4-3, still with a chance to come back and take away the victory.

-It wasn't until senior Katie Bealka (Freetown, Mass. / Apponequet Regional) blasted a shot high into the left corner to notch Assumption's fifth-straight, successful kick that the Hounds clinched the victory and a spot in the NE-10 Semifinals.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

-Both teams battled to a scoreless draw after 110 minutes that saw a combined 24 shots and four saves.

-Radomski led Assumption with eight shots overall and the Hounds' only shot on goal in the contest.

-Junior Nikki Callini (West Springfield, Mass. / West Springfield) registered two shots while Arnold, freshman Jessica FitzGerald (Uxbridge, Mass. / Uxbridge), senior Meg Campbell (Springfield, Mass. / Cathedral) and freshman Kallie Villemaire (Plattsburgh, N.Y. / Beekmantown) each added one.

-Kuzma registered three saves in her 110 minutes between the posts while AIC's Edgin notched just one save on the day.

-Overall, the Hounds outshot AIC 14-10 through regulation and both overtime periods combined.

-Assumption held a commanding advantage in corner kicks, 7-0.   

UP NEXT:

-With the victory, the Hounds advance to the 2015 NE-10 Semifinal round. Assumption will travel to Saint Rose on Friday at a time to be announced.

STAY CONNECTED:

-For the latest on Assumption College Athletics, follow the Hounds via social media on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. For more information, contact the Office of Athletic Communications at 508-767-7240. 

-Fans can also sign up for email updates and text message alerts for the women's soccer team and all of the other 23 Assumption varsity sports by clicking here.

POST GAME:

In case you missed it, check out each of the Hounds' kicks and Kuzma's save in the Post Game video!