CAMBRIDGE, Mass.-- The six-team field is set and the top seed is known, but plenty remains at stake for the 2009 America East Women's Soccer Championship after Thursday's action.
By virtue of Maine's 4-0 win over Stony Brook, Boston University has clinched its third straight America East women's soccer regular-season title and will be the top seed for the upcoming tournament, which begins Thursday, Oct. 29 with quarterfinal action.
The Terriers (11-5-2, 6-1-0, 18 pts America East), who wrap up their regular season at home against UMBC on Sunday, are guaranteed at least of share of the regular-season crown, Nancy Feldman's league-record seventh as head coach. Boston U. secured home field throughout the tournament due to its 3-0 win over Binghamton on Sept. 27.
The Bearcats (8-6-1, 5-2-0, 15) downed Vermont 3-1 on goals from Meghan Campbell, Jamie Holliday and Brittany Walsh. Binghamton can lock up the No. 2 seed for the conference championship with a win at New Hampshire on Sunday and would earn a piece of its second regular-season crown in program history with a Boston U. loss to the Retrievers (2-13-1, 1-6-0, 1), who have been eliminated from playoff contention along with Vermont (1-12-3, 1-4-2, 5).
The Seawolves (6-9-2, 5-1-1, 16), who made its first conference final since 2002 last season, can finish no worse than fourth and will host a tournament game. Whether that game is Oct. 29 or Nov. 1 depends on the Binghamton's and Maine's outcomes Sunday.
The Black Bears (7-5-2, 4-2-1, 13), who travel to Albany for its finale, won their third straight behind a pair of goals and an assist from junior Hannah Breton. Maine can still earn the No. 2 seed and first-round bye with a victory over UA on Sunday and losses by Stony Brook and Binghamton.
The Great Danes (8-8-1, 3-3-1, 10) are assured of their first-ever America East Championship appearance and will be seeded fourth with a win over Maine on Sunday, fifth with a loss or tie paired with a New Hampshire loss or tie and sixth with a loss and a UNH win over Binghamton. Albany dropped a 2-0 decision to Hartford (5-11-2, 1-5-1, 4), which will miss only its third tournament in 15 years.
The Wildcats (4-12-1, 3-4-0, 9) defeated UMBC on a goal by senior Morgan Keefe with 6:21 to go the game to seal their ninth consecutive tournament berth.
Visit AmericaEast.com on Sunday for the tournament seedings and pairings and visit women's soccer championship central for the latest championship information.