Saint Rose Wins NE-10 Title

After 1-1 Draw, Golden Knights Take PK Shootout Over Franklin Pierce

November 10, 2008

Second-seeded Saint Rose captured its second-straight Northeast-10 Conference women’s soccer tournament title with a 5-3 decision in a penalty kick shootout after playing top-seeded Franklin Pierce to a 1-1 draw Sunday afternoon.

Saint Rose (16-3-2, 11-2-1 NE-10) also earns the Northeast-10’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division II tournament that kicks off with regional action next weekend. Franklin Pierce (15-3-2, 11-2-1 NE-10) is a virtual lock to earn one of the three at-large bids to the tournament when the NCAA selection committee reveals the pairings Monday night.

Saint Rose junior keeper Shannon Murphy was named the Most Outstanding Player for the tournament as she made six saves, including four after halftime and one in each of the two overtime periods. She also turned aside a penalty kick in the shootout which proved to be the deciding factor to claim the title.

Joining Murphy on the All-Tournament team from Saint Rose were senior Kailey Egbert, who scored the Golden Knights’ goal in regulation, and sophomore Katie Whiting.

Franklin Pierce got a goal from sophomore All-American Angelika Johansson. Senior keeper Brittany Ester made two saves for the Ravens, both in the first half.

Earning All-Tournament team honors for the Ravens were junior All-Americans Gabriela Demoner, who assisted Johansson‘s goal, and Rachel Smith.

Both teams converted their first round kicks in the shootout. Freshman Gianna D’Errico converted for Saint Rose in the second round and then Murphy provided the Golden Knights with an advantage with a stop to her right on Franklin Pierce sophomore Michelle Santos.

Both sides converted in the third and fourth rounds, with sophomore Amanda Deck clinching the title with her shot to the right side in the fifth round.

After a scoreless first half between the two programs that shared the NE-10’s regular season championship, Saint Rose jumped ahead with a goal just 1:43 into the second. Egbert headed in a corner kick from the right side by freshman Christina Cuffari at the near post for her sixth goal of the year.

Franklin Pierce nearly equalized less than 10 minutes later with a pair of close range shots off a Demoner corner kick in the 56th minute. Murphy stopped a far post header by Smith, but the rebound dropped to the foot of Johansson. She tried to stuff the ball over the end line, but Cuffari cleared the ball near the right post.

The Ravens finally leveled the match in the 84th minute, when Demoner slipped a pass from the center of the 18 to Johansson on the left side and she fired her NCAA Division II-best 29th goal of the season past Murphy to force overtime.

Saint Rose had the best scoring chance of the first half. Freshman Nicola D’Errico was sent in one-on-one with Ester in the 35th minute, but the Ravens’ keeper charged off her line and smothered the shot attempt to keep the match scoreless.

Johansson had a bid just before halftime to open the scoring, but her low-angle shot from the left side was deflected and flashed just wide of the far post in the 42nd minute.

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