Lesley Tops Mitchell in NECC Women's Soccer Finals
Box Score |
Photo
Gallery
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - The Mitchell College women's soccer team lost
3-1 at Lesley University on Saturday afternoon in the title game of
the 2009 NECC Championship.
Jodi Fralick scored two goals and the Lesley University (15-4-1
overall) backfield limited their opponents to just four shots as
the Lynx captured their first conference championship in program
history. The Mariners ended the season with an overall
record of 8-11-0.
Lesley and Mitchell battled through 40 minutes of play before the
Lynx were finally able to get on the board with the match's first
goal. Fralick collected a free ball in the box and finished in
the left corner of the net on the ground for her 31st goal of the
season. The goal put the Lynx up 1-0 going into halftime.
Nearly 20 minutes into the second half, Lesley junior midfielder
Alyson Durben fired a shot that was blocked at point blank range by
Mariners keeper Brittany O'Neil. Durben saw the rebound come
right back to her and she found an opening for her second goal of
the season to put Lesley up two goals to nil.
Twenty-one seconds later, Fralick struck again after with her
second goal of the match after O'Neil saved a header
attempt. Fralick took the rebound and finished to the back of
the net for her 32nd goal of the season.
Down 3-0, Mitchell chipped away at the Lesley lead with a goal in
the 83rd minute as junior Paige Ehnot headed in a cross from
sophomore Nikki Hoxie past Lesley keeper Hailee Lowe.
Ehnot's 10th goal of the season cut Lesley's lead to 3-1.
The Lynx, however, held on to their two-goal lead for the rest of
the match to earn the title.
O'Neil finished the match with 13 saves and three goals allowed
while Lowe had two saves with one goal allowed. Mitchell's goal was
the first allowed by Lesley to an NECC opponent all season.
Fralik was named Most Valuable Player for the
championship. Four Mariners--Hoxie, senior Jessica Brandt and
sophomores Leslie Briggs and Shannen Pelletier--were named to the
NECC All-Tournament Team.
NECC All-Tournament Team
Alexandra Fernandes, Becker College, So., Forward
Keri Richardson, Becker College, Fr., Forward
Krystyna Gagne, Elms College, Sr., Forward
Serina Percoski, Elms College, Sr., Defender
Leslie Briggs, Mitchell College, So., Forward
Nikki Hoxie, Mitchell College, So., Forward
Jessica Brandt, Mitchell College, Sr., Midfielder
Shannen Pelletier, Mitchell College, So., Midfielder
Hailee Lowe, Lesley University, Sr., Goalkeeper
Cathryn Folkestad, Lesley University, Sr., Defender
Kate Ryder, Lesley University, Fr., Midfielder
Tournament Most Valuable Player: Jodi Fralick, Lesley University,
Sr., Forward