Jan. 11, 2016
As we begin 2016, we take a look back at the top Siena Athletics' moments of 2015. Over the next 10 days, we will count down the Top-10 Moments of the Year, which continues today with Moment #4.
The Moment
Nov. 6 - Sophomore midfielder Madison Vasquez and senior captain Allison Clark scored as sixth seeded Siena Women's Soccer upended MAAC regular season champion and Tournament host Monmouth 2-1 in the conference semifinals. The Saints became the first No. 6 seed to advance to the MAAC Championship Match since Niagara in 2009, when all 10 conference schools which then comprised the league qualified for the Tournament held in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
Why We Loved It
The Saints continued their improbable run to an eventual MAAC Championship by stunning the heavily favored Hawks. In danger of missing the MAAC Tournament after opening conference play 2-4, Siena had to go 3-0-1 over its final four matches simply to secure the sixth and final seed. The Saints then continued their magical run, going on the road and shutting out rival and No. 3 seed Marist for a second time in 11 days to earn their date with Monmouth.
Behind the Scenes
An improbable run was fitting led by an unlikely goal scorer in Clark. A three and a half year starter at outside back, head coach Steve Karbowski shifted Clark to striker Oct. 14 and the move paid huge dividends. Clark scored her first four collegiate goals over the next seven matches, highlighted by the game-winning score against Monmouth. Clark would add a goal and an assist two days later in the championship match en route to being named the MAAC Tournament MVP.
Did You Know?
Siena defeated a vaunted Monmouth squad which had captured the MAAC regular season crown in each of its first three seasons in the league, and the Tournament Championship in 2013. The Hawks had entered the matchup with a 29-3-2 (.882) overall record against MAAC opponents since joining the conference.
Quotable
"The team had been on a roll for a couple weeks and you could see their confidence growing from game to game and it showed against top seeded Monmouth," said Karbowski. "We were an underdog as the sixth seed and playing on the road, but with the momentum we had going this performance was not a big surprise. The goal then was to use that result to carry us into the final, have a peak performance on Sunday and win a MAAC Championship."
Relive the Moment
Siena Advances to MAAC Championship
