Hofstra Wins CAA Women's Soccer Championship
WILLIAMSBURG,
Va. (November 4, 2012) - Hofstra sophomore Sam Scolarici scored from 12 yards
out with 6:21 remaining in the second overtime to lift the fifth-seeded Pride
to a 2-1 victory over #3 UNCW in the CAA women's soccer championship game Sunday afternoon at Martin Family Stadium
at Albert-Daly Field.
Hofstra
(11-8-2) claimed its third CAA women's soccer championship, but first since
2007, in dramatic fashion. In capturing the title, the Pride prevailed in
penalty kicks shootouts over #4 Northeastern and #1 William & Mary in the
quarterfinals and semifinals before getting past the Seahawks. Hofstra earns an
automatic berth to the NCAA Women's Soccer Championship, which gets underway
next Friday.
UNCW,
which also reached the CAA finals after besting two opponents in PK's, ended
its season with a 12-7-3 record.
On
the game-winning play, sophomore Lulu Echeverry was able to make a run up the
middle before dishing the ball off to Scolarici. She made a couple of dribbles
to the right side before sending a shot just inside the left post for her 10th
goal and third game-winning goal of the season.
Hofstra
jumped out to a quick 1-0 advantage just 6:20 into the contest. Scolarici got the
play started with a nice dash down the middle of the field before finding
freshman Leah Galton on the left side of the box. Galton dribbled towards the end line and then
sent a perfect cross to Echeverry, who finished with a short shot inside the
right post. The goal was Echeverry's eighth of the year and Galton was credited
with her fifth assist.
UNCW
got the equalizer in the 38th minute. The Seahawks' Stephanie
Bronson was taken down in the box by a Hofstra defender, resulting in a penalty
kick. Senior Stephanie Rose beat Pride keeper Emily Morphitis to the left side
for her league-leading 14th goal of the year.
The
Seahawks controlled play early in the second half and had a pair of good
scoring opportunities in the first 12 minutes. Senior Kim Currie's 16-yard shot
was deflected on a kick save by a charging Morphitis in the 52nd
minute. Just five minutes later, UNCW freshman Maddie McCormick chipped a shot
over Morphitis from 12 yards away that bounced off the top of the crossbar.
McCormick finished with a team-high seven shots.
With 18 minutes left in regulation, Hofstra
nearly broke the deadlock. Freshman Jeannine Molleda worked her way past a pair
of UNCW defenders, but saw her 10-yard shot miss just wide of the right post.
The
game was extremely tight and well-played throughout, with Hofstra finishing
with a narrow 20-19 advantage in shots and an 8-7 edge in shots on goal.
Morphitis
was named the Most Outstanding Performer of the championship after making five
saves in the championship match. UNCW senior goalkeeper Caitlin Hunter, who was
also named to the CAA All-Tournament squad, stopped six shots.
Joining
the two keepers on the all-tournament squad were Galton, Brooke Bendernagel and
Jill Mulholland of Hofstra along with McCormick and Jen Ludemann of UNCW.
Rounding out the team were Drexel's Eve Badana and Melissa Chapman and William
& Mary's Kiersten Harpe and Leci Irvin.
CAA
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Eva
Badana, Drexel
Brooke
Bendernagel, Hofstra
Melissa
Chapman, Drexel
Leah
Galton, Hofstra
Kiersten Harpe, William & Mary
Caitlin
Hunter, UNCW
Leci
Irvin, William & Mary
Jen
Ludemann, UNCW
Maddie
McCormick, UNCW
Emily
Morphitis, Hofstra
Jill
Mulholland, Hofstra
Most
Outstanding Performer: Emily Morphitis, Hofstra