CCSU Downs Saint Francis U, 2-1, To Win Ninth NEC Women's Soccer Championship - Northeast Conference Skip To Main Content
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CCSU Downs Saint Francis U, 2-1, To Win Ninth NEC Women's Soccer Championship

11/4/2018


 
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New Britain, CT -- Central Connecticut sophomore Jenna Rae Covello (Plymouth, CT/Terryville) played the role of hero, netting the game winner with under two minutes to play to lift top-seeded Central Connecticut past second-seeded Saint Francis U, 2-1, in the NEC women's soccer title match. 
 
The Blue Devils (16-1-2) claim their ninth NEC title in program history and seventh under 19th year head coach Mick D’Arcy. The Blue Devils enter the postseason on a 10-match win streak and 17-match unbeaten streak. 
 
CCSU senior Danielle Pearse (Seaford, NY/Seaford) collected the Tournament MVP award with three of the four Blue Devil goals in the two matches.  Covello was also a major catalyst for the Blue Devils, playing a role in each of CCSU’s four goals of the tournament with one goal and three assists. 
 
The two teams traded opportunities in the first half, but it was Central Connecticut that held an 11-6 advantage in shots through the first 45 minutes of action.  Saint Francis U  (8-9-3) redshirt junior Julia Hernan (Collegeville, PA/The Hill School) stood on her head in the first half, making six saves to keep the match scoreless at the break. 
 
The second half grew more and more intense with the NEC title on the line. 

CCSU struck first in the 66th minute as Covello found Pearse once again after a low cross to the center of the box. Holding off a defender, Pearse punched it in to make it the third time in the tournament that the Covello-Pearse combined to put the Blue Devils on the board.
 
It did not take long for the Red Flash to answer, however, scoring their first goal of the match in the 77th minute. SFU redshirt sophomore Mariana Jaleca (Sebtubal, Portugal) sent a free kick into the box that the senior captain Sara Suler (Hermitage, PA/Hickory) was able to craftly head in just out of the reach of diving Central goalkeeper Ashley Cavanaugh (Belchertown, MA/Belchertown).  It was Suler’s seventh goal of the season – none bigger than this one - and second of the tournament. 
 
Central continued to put pressure on Hernan and the SFU defense shortly after the game tying goal, racking up four shots and three corner kicks in the next 10 minutes. Then in the 88th minute, Covello found room to cut toward the middle of the box from the right side, and unleash a shot that deflected in for the game-winning goal with just 1:58 remaining in the match. 
 
Entering the tournament with just two points on the season, Covello more than doubled that total in just the last two games with five points in the NEC Tournament that included her first goal of 2018. 
 
Pearse was named Tournament MVP for her three goals that brough her season totals to 10 goals and 23 points. Both rank second in the NEC.
 
Hernan finished with nine saves while Cavanaugh stopped five shots to earn the victory.  CCSU finished with a 21-12 advantage in shots. 
 
Central Connecticut now awaits tomorrow’s selection show to be aired on NCAA.com at 4:30 p.m. 

NEC All-Tournament Team
Danielle Pearse, CCSU - MVP
Erica Bardes, CCSU
Jenna Rae Covello, CCSU
Yo Tachibana, CCSU
Emilee Barnett, SFU
Julia Hernan, SFU
Corinne Renninger, SFU
Maria Buonono, MSM
Jenna West, MSM
Madelyn Robbins, FDU
Amanda Fitzgerald, FDU