Adelphi women's soccer falls to Wasburn in NCAA Division II semifinals

No. 2 Adelphi fell, 1-0, to No. 3 Washburn in the Final Four of the NCAA Division II Tournament Thursday, ending the Panthers’ bid for its first final appearance since 2004.

The deciding goal came off a terrific save. Adelphi goalkeeper Krista Aliscio got her glove on a shot from Washburn’s Khloe Schuckman in the 55th minute, but first-year forward Mackinley Rohn finished the rebound for the deciding goal.

That chance was just one of many that Aliscio was forced to handle. The graduate student had five first-half saves to keep the Panthers level. She finished with 11 saves while interrupting crosses and free-kick services as Adelphi allowed four corners and nine free kicks.

“She did her part today to keep us in the game as much as she could,” Adelphi coach Brooke DeRosa said. “And she did that for the whole game . . . she did everything right this game.”

Adelphi (15-4-5)  struggled to chain passes together all game long, especially when holding the ball in Washburn's half. The Panthers had zero shots on target until the 73rd minute, which ended up being Adelphi’s lone shot on goal.

“In the first half our possession was so poor,” DeRosa said. “If we had any chance to generate a chance to score, our possession was going to need to improve, and our numbers advancing upfield needed to improve . . . we weren’t clicking the way we needed to.”

It felt like Washburn (21-3-1) was always on the attack, taking 20 shots throughout the game. A usually stout Adelphi defense held its ground for most of the game, but it found itself playing in survival mode as possession came few and far between. For a team that has touted resiliency in the games leading up to the Final Four, the semifinal serves as a new standard for next year’s Panthers to overcome and surpass.

“It’s a very young team, we’re not losing that many players,” DeRosa said. “We’ve lost multiple leading goal-scorers throughout this season (to injury) . . . it’s the recurring theme of the team, to have a ‘never give up’ attitude and a cohesiveness on and off the field.”

Washburn will face No. 4 Point Loma — which upset top-seeded Florida Tech, 3-0, earlier in the day — in the NCAA Division II final at noon on Saturday.