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Boxscore I Highlights
Teaneck, NJ -- The Central Connecticut women’s soccer claimed its eighth Northeast Conference (NEC) Tournament Championship and clinched a trip to the first round of the NCAA Women’s College Cup. The Blue Devils are 8-1 in NEC title games, their last tournament crown came in 2008. Third-seeded Central Connecticut became the second three-seed team in NEC history to claim the women's soccer tournament title. LIU Brooklyn was the first team in 2012 when the Blackbirds upset top-seeded Saint Francis U.
NEC Tournament Most Valuable Player Charlie Branch (Norwich, England/Monroe College) broke a 35 minute scoring draught on an unassisted goal to put Central Connecticut up 1-0. The junior had taken two of the Blue Devils four shots leading up to the goal, but got the marker when she emerged from a heard of people in front of the goal, on a corner kick from teammate Kelly Halligan (Lymm, England/Loreto Grammar School).
Central Connecticut stifled the Knights offense in the first half, and held Fairleigh Dickinson to just two shots, neither on goal.
The whistle blew to open the second half and the Blue Devil offense picked up where it left off. 10 minutes into the half, in the 56th minute of the contest, Cailynn Harding (Cheshire, CT/Cheshire) scored her second goal of the season to give Central Connecticut a 2-0 lead. Harding’s goal came from 35 yards out, a rocket that flew in just under the cross bar.
After the CCSU’s second goal, Fairleigh Dickinson turned offensive thanks to senior Kasey Schiavoni (West Chester, PA/Villa Maria Academy). The senior, fighting to extend her final season reversed the flow of the game, putting FDU in Blue Devil territory on a breakaway up the left side. In the 71st minute, Schiavoni took a tough shot, that was easily saved, but the momentum had shifted. The Knights rattled off five unanswered shots, but couldn’t find the back of the net.
NEC Goalkeeper of the Year, Nicki Turley (Henrietta, NY/Rush-Henrietta) recorded her ninth shutout of the season, but only had to make one save, which came in the second half. Turley relied heavily on All-Tournament Team defenders Marissa Quesnell (Litchfield, CT/Litchfield) and Harding to stop most productive offense in the league.
Central Connecticut landed three corner kicks and took 12 shots, while Fairleigh Dickinson mustered eight shots, but drew four corners.
The NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Announcement will air at Monday, November 10th at 4:30 pm ET on NCAA.com. Watch the Women's College Cup Selection Show here.
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