SCRANTON, Pa. – The TCNJ women's soccer defeated William Smith, 1-0, on Sunday afternoon at Weiss Field at the University of Scranton to advance to the NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Final Four. Nikki Butler scored the deciding goal in the second half to lift the Lions to victory.
 
In head coach Joe Russo's final season at TCNJ before he retires, he will compete in his 13^th Final Four with the Lions. TCNJ has won three national titles, coming with back-to-back titles in 1993 and 1994 before winning again in 2000. Russo is the only head coach in the women's soccer team's history since its inception in the 1990 season.
 
TCNJ finally broke the scoreless deadlock in the 59^th minute with its first shot on goal of the game. Gianna Coppola accepted a throw-in, and she centered a pass to Butler. Butler's shot from 25 yards away looped high over William Smith keeper Amanda Kesler, grazed off the left goalpost and hit the back of the net. Butler's goal was the second in as many games for her in Scranton this weekend.
 
After each team played in offensively-focused games on Saturday in the Sweet 16, the first half on Sunday betrayed that fact. William Smith started with a strong chance a couple of minutes in on a stiff shot by Sheila McQuillen, but Alexandra Panasuk made the save with a reach over her head.
 
TCNJ had a couple genuine chances in the first half, primarily by Coppola. Julia Obst maneuvered through the defense to set up Coppola in the 16^th minute, but the shot was blocked. She had two other chances in the first half. In the 26^th minute, Emma Pascarella's entry was knocked around in the box, and it came to Coppola. Her shot went hard and right, though. A few minutes later, Lindsay O'Keefe dropped  a pass to Coppola in tight quarters, but her one-timer stayed low and wide through the traffic.
 
With just over a minute left in the first half, O'Keefe was brought down, setting up a free kick from the right side from about 30 yards out. Ava Curtis' kick was strong and straight, but it stayed wide to the right.
 
In the second half, Panasuk made some top-notch saves. While she was moving to her left, William Smith's Julia Keogh tried to go far side against the grain, but Panasuk stood her ground, making a diving stop to her right to keep the game scoreless.
 
After Butler's goal, Keogh again had a good scoring chance to try to tie the score. William Smith used a 2-on-1 break to spring Keogh free on the right side, but her shot whistled wide with about 25 minutes to play.
 
Panasuk again rose to the occasion with the score still at 1-0. Merilyn Hinrichs found herself open at the top of the box, and her shot to the top left corner was stopped on a diving attempt by Panasuk.
 
O'Keefe nearly gave the Lions a 2-0 lead with 15 minutes to play. She ripped a shot from the left side that beat Kesler high, but it hit the crossbar and deflected over the goal.
 
TCNJ now moves into the national semifinal on Friday, Dec. 3, against Wesleyan (Conn.) in Greensboro, N.C.