Two teams will earn the chance to play for an America East Championship Sunday when the women's soccer championship semifinals take place. Top-seeded Boston University will host No. 4 Albany in one matchup at 1 p.m. while No. 4 Maine will travel to No. 2 Stony Brook at 2 p.m.
In the quarterfinals on Thursday, one home team was able to advance while the other was upset by its lower-seeded opponent. The University at Albany, the No. 4 seed, topped the fifth-seeded University of New Hampshire at Varsity Field in Albany, N.Y., 2-1. The No. 3 University of Hartford team could not get past the visiting No. 6 University of Maine, losing 1-0 to the Black Bears at Alumni Stadium in West Hartford, Conn.
Albany scored two first-half goals to earn a spot in the semifinals at top-seeded Boston University on Sunday. Albany got on the board first when second-team all-conference midfielder Chelsea DeVerna found her sister, Maggie DeVerna, for the opening goal in the seventh minute. The Great Danes added a goal in the 40th minute when second-team all-conference forward Shayla Bergeron found the back of the net on a pass from first-teamer Rebecca Lee. New Hampshire avoided the shutout with a goal in the 50th minute by second-team selection Monique Lamotte. This is the first time Albany has advanced to the semifinals since joining the league 2001.
Maine advanced to a semifinal matchup at No. 2 Stony Brook after America East All-Academic selection Hannah Breton put the Black Bears ahead, 1-0, with a goal in the 65th minute. Breton's game-winning goal was set up by Nikki Misener. Breton's goal was her third goal of the season. All of the senior's goals in 2010 have been gamewinners. All-academic keeper Meagan Price Leibenzeder recorded the shutout for the Black Bears. The Black Bears return to the semifinals for the seventh time in eight years.
On October 21, the Great Danes fell to the Terriers, 2-0. Game time is set for 1 p.m.. In the last meeting between the Black Bears and Seawolves on October 21 at Stony Brook, the Seawolves beat the Black Bears, 2-1.
Follow the entire America East Women's Soccer Championship at Championship Central on AmericaEast.com.
2010 America East Women's Soccer Championship
Thursday, October 28 -- Quarterfinals
Game 1: at No. 4 Albany 2, No. 5 New Hampshire 1 Box Score
Game 2: No. 6 Maine 1, at No. 3 Hartford 0 Box Score
Sunday, November 1 -- Semifinals
Game 3: Albany at No. 1 Boston University, 1 p.m. Live Stats
Game 4: Maine at No. 2 Stony Brook, 2 p.m. Live Stats
Saturday/Sunday, November 6/7 -- Final
Game 5: Game 3 Winner vs. Game 4 Winner, TBA