Stony Brook Captures Second #AEWSOC Title in Three Seasons
For the second time in three seasons, Stony Brook is the America East women’s soccer champion. The top-seeded Seawolves scored a goal in each half and held off a late charge from third-seeded Hartford to win the 2019 league title on Sunday afternoon at LaValle Stadium.
With the win, Stony Brook, the first top seed to win the championship since UAlbany in 2016, earned the conference’s automatic bid to the 2019 NCAA Women’s Soccer Championship. The Seawolves eill play at Penn State in a NCAA first round contest Friday at 6 p.m.
Erin O’Connor, who scored three goals in the championship including the Seawolves’ first tally on Sunday, was named the championship’s Most Outstanding Player. O’Connor got the scoring started in the 28th minute as she took a cross from Paula Petri, an America East All-Rookie selection, and sent it home to give Stony Brook a 1-0 lead.
Stony Brook, winners of a Division I program record 14 games, took a 2-0 lead on Fanny Gotesson’s goal in the 72nd minute. Gotesson earned All-Championship accolades as a result.
Hartford, which was making its fifth title game appearance in the last seven years, controlled play for the final 15 minutes and drew within one on Molly Socha’s goal with 9:42 to go. But the Hawks could not get the equalizer as America East Goalkeeper of the Year Sofia Manner made two of her five saves in the game’s final five minutes to seal the outcome.
O’Connor led the All-Championship team selections and was joined by Gotesson and other teammates Chelsie DePonte and Francesca Lee, Hartford’s Maia Perez, Sierra Stone and Skylar Vitiello, UAlbany’s Meghan Cavanaugh and Leah Pais, New Hampshire’s Caitlyn Keenan and Kaylan Williams, Binghamton’s Oliva McKnight and UMass Lowell’s Dunja Mostarac.
Stony Brook’s Fanny Gotesson earned the championship’s Elite 18 Award for having the highest GPA student-athletes on the championship-winning team. The junior carries a 3.97 as a double major in business management and sociology.
Visit Championship Central for box scores, highlights and recaps from each round in addition to team tournament history and more.
2019 America East Women’s Soccer Championship
All Games at Higher Seed
Quarterfinals – Sunday, November 3
at #3 Hartford 1, #6 UMass Lowell 0 (2OT)
at #4 New Hampshire 3. #5 Binghamton 2
Semifinals – Thursday, November 7
at #1 Stony Brook 2, #4 New Hampshire
#3 Hartford 3, at #2 UAlbany 2
Final – Sunday, November 10
at #1 Stony Brook 2, #3 Hartford 1
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