MIAMI SHORES, Fla. – The Embry-Riddle women's soccer team advanced to the Sunshine State Conference Tournament championship game for the first time in program history on Thursday with a win over Barry (9-7) at the Buccaneer Soccer field. Seeded fourth in the six-team tournament, the Blue and Gold netted a goal in each half of play to upset the top-seeded Buccaneers 2-0 in Thursday's semifinal.
 
Now in the third season as a member of the SSC, ERAU avenged last season's semifinal loss to the Buccaneers and will face No. 2 seed Rollins in Winter Park on Sunday. 
 
"This game was end-to-end as expected," ERAU Head Coach Samantha Bohon noted. "I thought we had a bit more control in the first half and they were on top a bit more in the second. But that's what you expect in these games. Sarah [Dacey] and her team have done a fantastic job this conference season, so we knew it was going to be a battle. I was really happy with how the team fought and still created really good chances during the stretch when we were under pressure. The second goal was massive! Overall, we are thrilled that we have extended our season a few more days and will now prepare for a tough Rollins team in the final."
 
Second team All-Conference selection Julia Olsson got the Eagles on the board in the sixth minute. The junior collected the ball after making a run into the box and ripped a shot into the far side netting to give ERAU a one-goal advantage. The Eagles continued to keep the Bucs on their heels, but despite a 10-6 advantage in shots for ERAU in the first frame, the score remained 1-0 in favor of the visitors at the half.
 
While the Eagles were strong on the offensive end in the first half, it was the defense that was key for their success in the second. Barry created chances early in the period that elicited game-saving plays from the ERAU back line, including a shot that was cleared of the line by Christina Velasquez and another that was saved by ERAU goalkeeper Dana Ruchti, both of which came in the first five minutes. 
 
ERAU created its own scoring opportunities but Barry's All-Conference netminder Maddie Hart-Pomeranz came up with some big plays of her own. She collected five saves in the half, including a stopping a dangerous strike by Ragnheidur Gardarsdottir in the 80^thminute. 
 
With less than five minutes remaining in the contest, the Eagles cleared a ball out of the midfield that found an unmarked Gardarsdottir running through the left side. Hart-Pomeranz was able to save Gardarsdottir's shot, but she wasn't able to hold on to the ball and Freshman of the Year Marie Myhrvold Seim pounced on the rebound and slotted home her seventh goal of the season to seal the win for the Blue and Gold.
 
Ruchti finished with nine saves on the night to pick up her sixth clean sheet of the season as the Eagles improved their record to 10-5-1.