CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- The first America East Championship of the 2011-12 year begins today as women's soccer tournament action kicks off with a pair of intriguing quarterfinal contests.
Fourth-seeded New Hampshire hosts fifth-seeded Binghamton in the one matchup at 1 p.m., while third-seeded Albany entertains sixth-seeded Vermont at 2 p.m. The UNH-Binghamton winner will face No. 1 seed Boston U. in semifinal action on Sunday at 1 p.m. while the Albany-Vermont winner will take on No. 2 Hartford at 2 p.m. The 2011 America East women's soccer title will be decided on either Saturday, Nov. 5 or Sunday, Nov. 6 at the highest remaining seed.
New Hampshire (5-11-2, 3-4-1) and Binghamton (6-9-1, 3-4-1) both surged late in the season to secure tournament bids. The Wildcats, who are making their 11th straight trip to the America East Championship, posted a 2-0 win over Maine Sunday to preserve their streak. Brooke Duchaney and Stephanie Gilkenson, a second-team all-conference midfielder, scored first-half goals. The Bearcats got first-half scores from Mary DeWitte and Conor O'Brien to down UMBC, 2-0, and lock up a spot in the tournament after missing out last season.
UNH won the regular-season meeting with Binghamton, 2-1, on October 16. After Kaitlyn Cook gave the Bearcats a 1-0 lead in the 21st minute, Alyssa Michel (27') and Alli Rozelle (54') scored for the victors. Binghamton won the last postseason meeting between the two teams, 1-0, in 2008. The only other get together in America East Championship play resulted in a scoreless tie in 2006 with New Hampshire advancing on penalty kicks.
Albany (7-9-1, 5-2-1) rides a six-game unbeaten into the conference tournament after knocking Stony Brook out of tournament contention with a 2-1 win on Long Island Sunday. The Great Danes are making their third straight tournament appearance after missing out their first eight years in the league. Albany won its their first-ever tournament win a year ago, a 2-1 win over New Hampshire in the quarterfinals. Vermont (5-9-4, 3-4-1) returns to the championship for the first time since 2006 and is seeking its first-ever tournament win. The Catamounts' win percentage is its best in six seasons.
The Great Danes won the regular-season meeting between the two teams, 2-1, on Oct. 9. Ellie Mills, an America East all-rookie choice, gave UVM a 1-0 lead in the ninth minute, but Albany tied it up on Katie Grant's tally in the 35th minute. The game remained that way for the next 50 minutes until the Great Danes' Katie Dunn sent home the game winner on a shot from 20 yards out. The two teams have never met in the postseason.
Visit America East's Championship Central for live coverage links of today's games and return afterwards for recaps, box scores, highlights and more.
2011 America East Women's Soccer Championship
Quarterfinals - Thursday, October 27
No. 5 Binghamton at No. 4 New Hampshire, 1 p.m. -- Live Stats
No. 6 Vermont at No. 3 Albany, 2 p.m. -- Live Stats | Free Live Video
Semifinals - Sunday, October 30
New Hampshire/Binghamton winner at No. 1 Boston University, 1 p.m.
Albany/Vermont winner at No. 2 Hartford, 2 p.m.
Final - Saturday, November 5/Sunday, November 6
Semifinal Winners at Highest Remaining Seed, TBD