DURHAM, N.H.--
Boston University scored a pair of first half goals and held off a late
charge from New Hampshire to capture the 2007 America East Women's
Soccer Championship on Saturday afternoon at UNH's Bremner Field. The
Terriers, who have won two titles in the last three years and three in
the last five, edged the Wildcats, 2-1, to earn a trip to the NCAA Women's Soccer Championship. Click here for the box score.
Boston
U. (11-6-3) got on the board in the 23rd minute when senior Lauren
Basham crossed the ball into the box from the left corner and junior
Jennifer Herman one-timed the ball into the back of the net. The
Terriers added to their lead 20 minutes later as sophomore Emily
Pallotta struck the ball home from 10 yards out on the left side off a
pass from Casey Brown, who was named the Championship's Most
Outstanding Player.
New
Hampshire (11-7-2) got within one in the 69th minute. America East
Striker of the Year Michelle Sheehan took the ball into the box and
found freshman Shaunna Kaplan, who snuck the ball into the lower
left-hand corner of the goal. The Wildcats had several chances the rest
of the way, but Terriers' senior goalkeeper Christina Reuter made a
pair of saves down the stretch and senior Caitlyn Serafine's free kick
with less than a minute remaining hit the crossbar to seal the victory
for Boston U.
The
Terriers receive an automatic berth to the NCAA Women's Soccer
Championship with the victory, the third straight year they have made
the tournament. The pairings will be announced on ESPNews between 8 and
8:30 p.m. on Monday, November 12, with first round action beginning
Friday, November 16.
Brown
and Pallotta are joined on the All-Championship team by teammates
Lauren Basham and Marisha Schumacher-Hodge, New Hampshire's Sheehan,
Serafine and Nicole Lucey, Binghamton's Stefanie Knopick and Kerry
O'Shaughnessy, Stony Brook's Marisa Viola and Kristin Mishrell,
Hartford's Meagan Riemer and Maine's Jordan Pekrull.
America East Women's Soccer Championship
Quarterfinals - Thursday, November 1
No 6, Binghamton 1, No. 3 Hartford 1 (Binghamton advanced on penalty kick, 6-5)
No. 4, Stony Brook 2, No. 4 Maine 1
Semifinals - Sunday, November 4
No. 2 Boston University 2, Binghamton 0
No. 1 New Hampshire 2, Stony Brook 1
Final - Saturday, November 10
Boston University 2, New Hampshire 1
