Harford Women’s Soccer Finishes as Runner-Up in Region XX Tournament; Five Players Pick Up Postseason Awards

From the HCC sports desk:

BEL AIR, Md.—The women’s soccer team wrapped up the 2008 season last month, finishing as the runner-up in the Division I Region XX Tournament as they fell to No.1 Anne Arundel in a 0-0 scoreless tie that was decided by penalty kicks, 4-3 in favor of the Pioneers.

The Fighting Owls finished the season with a 9-6-2 record, with both of their ties coming in the regional tournament. Harford earned the No. seed by virtue of its 9-6-0 regular season record, finishing as the runner-up for the Maryland Junior College Athletic Conference regular season crown.

Harford also had four MDJUCO All-Conference and four All-Region XX selections in addition to having four players named to the Region XX All-Tournament team.

The Owls faced CCBC-Catonsville in the regional semifinal and played the Cardinals to a 1-1 tie after regulation and two overtime periods, which sent the contest to penalty kicks. Freshman Tiffany Runk (Abingdon, Md./Kenwood), a First-Team All-Conference and All-Region selection, and sophomore Terry Buontempo (Nottingham, Md./Perry Hall), who joined her on the All-Region team with an Honorable Mention nod and was named Second-Team All-Conference, and Krista Fassio (Baltimore, Md./John Carroll), who was named to the All-Tournament team, made their respective PK’s as Harford advanced to the championship thanks to the 3-0 decision.

Buontempo, who was also named to the All-Tournament team, notched the Owls’ only goal of the game as she gathered a pass from Runk and fired from 10 yards out just 15 minutes into the second half, while Catonsville’s Cara Cashen hit a looping shot from 15 yards out to tie the score up at the 77:02 mark.

Sophomore Jessica Stumpf, who picked up All-Region, First-Team All-Conference and All-Tournament honors, (Baltimore, Md./Perry Hall) made four saves in the contest, while her counterpary, Lacey Bevilacqua totaled 11.

The story was much the same in the championship against Anne Arundel, but this time neither team scored in regulation or overtime, sending the game to PK’s once again.

Runk and sophomore Eliza Burk (Perry Hall, MD./Perry Hall), who rounded out the award winners with All-Region, Second-Team All-Conference and All-Tournament nods, were each successful in their attempts, tying the teams at two goals apiece. The Pioneers took a brief lead as their third shooter notched a goal, but Fassio would even the score as she completed her shot in the fourth position.

It was, however, the fifth and final shot by Anne Arundel that decided the region championship as the Pioneers claimed the title and advanced to the District H game with a 4-3 win on PK’s.

Stumpf totaled four saves for the game, as she notched her ninth shutout of the season, while Amy Baker corralled 10 shots.