Box Score

United States Collegiate Athletic Association
2012 National Championships - Semifinals

Daemen (10-9) 1-1--2
Carlow (13-2-1) 1-0--1

ASHEVILLE, N.C. - Alexa Amato (Grand Island, NY/Grand Island) continued her hot streak as the junior forward broke a 1-1 tie in the 83rd minute to send the sixth-seeded Daemen Wildcats past second-seeded Carlow (Pa.) in the USCAA National Semifinals. The win vaults the Wildcats (10-9 overall) into the National Championship Game where they'll face top-seeded Maine-Fort Kent, a team looking to defend their 2011 USCAA Championship and extended their 33-game winning streak.

Senior striker Kelsey O'Leary (Rochester, NY/Greece Olympia) got Daemen on the board in the first half today, scoring off a corner kick feed from junior Samantha Engel (Dryden, NY/Dryden) in the 29th minute.

The Daemen lead was short-lived as the Celtics (13-2-1) drew even with a tally by Stephanie Dwinga in the 32nd minute.

That set the stage for Amato's heroics as she came through with her team-leading 10th goal of the season to seal the deal for Daemen, her second game-winning goal in as many days at the National Tournament.

"Carlow was well organized in the back and gave us fits all game," said Daemen head coach Dan Dolan. "They played good soccer but I thought our fitness came through in the end. The girls literally gave everything on the field to will us to victory. Everyone is excited to play Maine-Fort Kent again."

The Lady Bengals (17-0) and Wildcats have met three times already this season, with one goal separating the teams in each one. Maine-Fort Kent won at Daemen 2-1 in overtime back on Sept. 2 while the Wildcats dropped back-to-back decisions on the road later that month (3-2 on Sept. 29; 1-0 on Sept. 30). Maine-Fort Kent advanced to the Championship Game with a 6-0 defeat of host school Warren Wilson in the quarterfinals and a 7-1 defeat of Albany Pharmacy in the semis. Daemen is one of four opponents all season to have played Maine-Fort Kent to a one-goal game. Kickoff is set for 11am tomorrow from the J.B. Lewis Soccer Complex.