Northeastern Captures Women's Soccer Championship

11/9/2014 4:19:30 PM

Rob Washburn

Boxscore | Women's Soccer #CAAChamps Central | Photos (credit: Jim Pierce)

BROOKLINE, Mass (November 9, 2014) – Top-seeded Northeastern became the first team to win back-to-back CAA Women’s Soccer Championships since 2001 after defeating No. 3 Hofstra, 2-0, on a beautiful Sunday afternoon at Parsons Field.

The Huskies (14-4-3), who set a new program record for victories in a season, earned an automatic berth to the NCAA Women’s Soccer Championship for the third time since 2008. Hofstra (13-7-1), which had its eight-game unbeaten streak come to an end, will await a possible at-large berth to the NCAA field.

Sophomore defender Mackenzie Dowd, who was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Performer, gave Northeastern an early one-goal lead and the Huskies’ defense took over from there as they recorded their NCAA-best 16^th shutout of the season.

Northeastern jumped out to a quick 1-0 advantage in the 12th minute. Sophomore Breeana Koomans sent a perfectly-placed corner kick across the goalmouth to Dowd, who headed the ball inside the right post from six yards out. The goal was Dowd’s team-leading seventh of the season.

The Huskies kept the pressure on and out-shot the Pride 7-3 in the opening half, which included four shots on net. Hofstra goalkeeper Friederike Mehring made three saves in the period, including a stop of a Kayla Cappuzzo’s 12-yard shot from the right wing on a 2-on-1 situation in the 33^rd minute.

Both teams had good scoring chances early in the second half. Hofstra’s Leah Galton had a 30-yard run down the middle of the field before launching a left-footed shot that just sailed over the crossbar. With under 29 minutes to play, Cappuzzo sent a beautiful cross to classmate Hannah Lopiccolo in the middle of the box, but her 10-yard shot hit underneath the crossbar and was cleared away.

The Huskies broke through with an insurance goal in the 70^th minute. After a scramble for the ball to the right of the Pride goal, a failed clear squirted out to the feet of Lopiccolo in front of the net. The CAA Rookie of the Year finished inside the left post from eight yards out for her sixth goal of the season.

The Pride nearly cut the deficit in half with under eight minutes remaining when a 25-yard shot from Amber Stobbs bounced off the crossbar.

Northeastern out-shot Hofstra 15-10 for the contest. Huskies’ goalkeeper Paige Burnett made three saves to record the shutout while Mehring stopped five shots.

Dowd was joined by teammates Awnalisa Walker, Cappuzzo and Lopiccolo. Hofstra was represented by Galton, Sam Scolarici and Chloe Dale. Also selected to the team were James Madison’s Ashley Herndon and Katie Hyland and William & Mary’s Leci Irvin and Katie Johnston.

CAA ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Kayla Cappuzzo, Northeastern
Chloe Dale, Hofstra
Mackenzie Dowd, Northeastern
Leah Galton, Hofstra
Ashley Herndon, James Madison
Katie Hyland, James Madison
Leci Irvin, William & Mary
Katie Johnston, William & Mary
Hannah Lopiccolo, Northeastern
Sam Scolarici, Hofstra
Awnalisa Walker, Northeastern

Most Outstanding Performer: Mackenzie Dowd, Northeastern