ARNOLD, Md. – The top seed Anne Arundel Community College women's soccer team claimed the 2024 NJCAA Region 20 Division II Women's Soccer Championship with a 3-2 win over third seed College of Southern Maryland Saturday at Siegert Field. The Riverhawks advance to the NJCAA DII East District Championship November 8th at Mercer County Community College.
The Riverhawks (12-2-1) got goals from Makenzie Boyd, Evan Bathras, and Jaylin Sheffield in the game, and led 3-0 until the final 10 minutes of the game when the Hawks (10-5-1) scored twice.
Boyd opened the scoring in the 13th minute, receiving a short corner kick before maneuvering through a pair of CSM defenders and clanging her shot in off the crossbar.
The Riverhawks extended their lead to two on another corner set in the 35th minute. Miga served the ball into the box where McKenzie Gilbert touched it across to Bathras for a one-timer in front of the cage.
AACC wasted little time in the second half as Chloe Underwood sent a loft ball ahead for Sheffield to finish one-on-one with the keeper.
Riverhawks keeper Péla Saunders made a diving stop in the 65th minute, but the Hawks kept up the pressure, seeing Region 20 points leader Sara Allwine find the back of the net twice in the waning minutes.
Allwine first evaded a defender and bounced her cross-net shot in off the post in the 80th minute and followed by controlling a cross from Abigail May and sending it past Saunders in the 89th minute.
Saunders finished with two second-half saves in the game. CSM keeper Kylie Smith made seven stops.
AACC outshot CSM, 20-13, and held an 8-2 advantage in corner kicks.
The Riverhawks advance to take on the 20th ranked Vikings at 2 p.m. on Friday, November 8, in West Windsor Township, N.J. Mercer County (14-1-2) won the Region 19 DII championship Saturday, defeating Essex County College, 10-0.