Click Here For NEC Tournament Headquarters
Click Here For Highlights
Loretto, PA – In a rematch of last year’s Northeast Conference Women’s Soccer Championship game, top-seeded Saint Francis (PA) and #2 seed Long Island battled to a 1-1 draw, but it was the Blackbirds who avenged last year's title match setback by advancing past the Red Flash in penalty kicks to capture the 2011 Northeast Conference Women’s Soccer title. 2011 NEC Goalkeeper of the Year and Tournament MVP Jennifer Bannon (East Greenwich, RI/East Greenwich) made the biggest stop of the season, knocking down Saint Francis (PA) forward Aryn Askin's (Scottdale, PA/Southmoreland) penalty kick to give the Blackbirds the 4-3 advantage, and 2011 Championship crown.
“Unbelievable” the junior goalkeeper called Long Islands run, “I don’t think it’s really set in yet.”
Before Bannon’s game winning stop teammates Ariana Calderon (Sacramento, CA/St. Francis), Amanda Wisotzke (Rochester, NY/Our Lady of Mercy), Sarah Laughlin (Plano, Texas/Plano) and Ruby Leon (Fontana, CA/San Bernardino Valley College) tallied goals in the shootout. Briana Tata (Rochester, NY/Aquinas Institute), Barbara Maro de Carvalha (San Paulo, Brazil/Colegio Sagrado Coraco de Jesus) and Ellie Gavin (Hilliard, OH/Bishop Watterson) scored off of the kicks for the Red Flash.
The Blackbirds struck first in the Championship match, tallying a goal just 11 minutes into the first half as Leon converted a pass from Kayleigh Morgan (Harlow, England/St. Mark’s) to beat diving Red Flash goalie Brianna Butcher (East Longmeadow, MA/East Longmeadow). Saint Francis would respond in the second half by putting up a point of their own in the 69th minute of play as Stephanie Boulter (Poolesville, MD/Poolesville) kicked in the rebound from teammate Mackenzie Walter (Hollidaysburg, PA/Hollidaysburg) to knot the score at one apiece.
Both teams battled for possession in the remaining minutes of regulation but were rebuffed by solid defensive efforts from both sides. So with the score tied at 1-1 after ninety minutes of regulation, the game went to overtime. But after a scoreless first and second overtime, penalty kicks were needed to decide the champion.
“There are really no words for this,” said Long Island head Coach Tracey Bartholomew. "To respond like this a year later is an amazing moment for this program.”
Saint Francis outshot Long Island, 16-9, while Long Island had the edge in saves, 6-2.
Northeast Conference MVP
Jennifer Bannon LIU GK Jr. East Greenwich, RI/East Greenwich
Northeast Conference All-Tournament Team
Jennifer Bannon LIU GK Jr. East Greenwich, RI/East Greenwich
Ariana Calderon LIU F Sr. Sacramento, CA/St. Francis
Ruby Leon LIU F Jr. Long Beach, CA/Woodrow Wilson
Nikki Labo LIU M Jr. Aurora, CA/Cherry Creek
Brianna Butcher SFPA GK Jr. East Longmeadow, MA/East Longmeadow
Katy LaBelle SFPA D Sr. Warwick, RI/Toll Gate
Jennifer Brennan SFPA D Jr. Northport, NY/Northport
Tracey Biederstadt MU D Sr. King of Prussia, PA/The Episcopal Academy
Stacey Kadell MU D Jr. Upper Saddle River, NJ/
Northern Highlands Regional-Old Tappan
Heather Quiivillion SHU M/D Sr. Dayville, CT/Marianapolis
Lia Palmacci SHU D Jr. Groton, MA/Lawrance Academy
2011 NEC Women's Soccer Championship
at Saint Francis (PA) University - DeGol Field
All games to be broadcast live on NortheastConference.TV
You can also watch on your mobile devices, including the iPhone, iPad and Android phones,
by typing NortheastConference.TV into your browser and clicking on the game link.
Follow the championship on Twitter - @NECwsoccer
Click Here For NEC Tournament Program
Click Here For All-Tournament Release
Click Here For Banquet Video/Photo Montage
Click Here For NEC Tournament Preview