Royals Post Late Goal To Outlast Juniata

SCRANTON, Pa. - Freshman forward Caroline Corasaniti (Chatham, N.J./Chatham) scored two goals, including the game-winner with less than five minutes remaining, to lift The University of Scranton to a 3-2 victory over Juniata College in the semifinals of the Landmark Conference tournament Wednesday evening at Fitzpatrick Field.

Corasaniti tapped in a shot from 10 yards out on a ball served from the right sideline by sophomore midfielder Emily MacPhee (Holland, Pa./Council Rock) as the Royals improved to 8-9-2 overall and moved into Saturday's championship match against Moravian, which defeated Catholic University, 2-0, in the other semifinal match. The loss dropped Juniata to 9-5-3.

After an evenly-played and scoreless first-half, the two teams combined for four goals in the first 15 minutes of the second-half.

Juniata struck first, as sophomore midfielder Amanda Broadwell (Newfoundland, N.J./Morris Knolls) blasted in a shot from 12 yards out on a scramble in front of the Royal goal to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead at the 51:12 mark. Less than a minute later, Corasaniti knocked in a shot from 14 yards out on a ball served over the top of the Eagle defense from the right sideline by freshman back Emily Boyce (Rockville Centre, N.Y./Sacred Heart Academy).

Scranton appeared to have the momentum in its favor when senior back Mary Beth Vogel (Havertown, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara) headed in a ball served up off of a corner kick by sophomore forward Beth Stephens (Pottstown, Pa./Owen J. Roberts) for her second goal of the season at the 54:15 mark.

The Eagles came storming back and tied it up on a goal by sophomore forward Sarah Ruggiero (Bangor, Pa./Bangor) at the 59:39 mark. On a ball served into the front of the Royal goal off of a corner kick, sophomore midfielder Shannon Pierce (Gilbertsville, Pa./Boyertown) deflected the ball towards Ruggiero, who knocked it in for her eighth goal of the season.

Juniata senior goalie Lisa Russo (Haskell, N.J./Lakeland) finished with a match-high six saves while Scranton's Jackie Colley (North Caldwell, N.J./West Essex) made one.

Corasaniti's goals were her third and fourth of the season.

Saturday's championship match between Scranton and Moravian is tentatively set for 1:00 p.m. at Fitzpatrick Field. The Royals will be out to post their 16th conference title in school history, having won 15 championships as a member of the Middle Atlantic States Collegiate Athletic Corporation prior to joining the Landmark Conference last November.