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Championship
Sunday, November 10

#3 FDU at #1 Howard, 12 pm

Sunday's title tilt can be viewed for free on ESPN+, NEC Front Row or on NEC on the Run streaming and mobile apps for iOS and Andrioid devices.

Semifinals
#1 Howard 2, #4 Stonehill 1

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Washington, D.C. -- After 90 minutes of tense back-and-forth play on its home turf, top-seeded Howard moved one step closer to its first NEC women's soccer crown.

On the strength of two first half Malea Earley goals, the Bison took down fourth-seeded Stonehill, 2-1, to advance to the program's first NEC Women's Soccer Championship final. Howard will host Sunday’s title match at Greene Stadium against FDU, with kickoff set for noon on ESPN+ and NEC Front Row.

With the win, Howard (10-4-5) stretched its win streak to five and its unbeaten string to ten matches.

Stonehill (8-10-1) saw its inaugural Division I postseason run come to an end despite a strong showing.

Looking to flip the script after bowing out in the semifinal round of the NEC Tournament last year, Earley - a second team All-NEC striker - scored the opening goal to put the Bison up 1-0 just five minutes in. It was the NEC Rookie of the Year Gabriella Garcia-Terrell who would proivde the assist. Intercepting Stonehill's goal kick, Garcia-Terrell chested the ball down and played a first-time through ball to Earley, who muscled off a Stonehill defender before slipping her shot past Allie Sougaris and into the back of the net.

Earley secured her brace in the 26th minute to double the Bison's lead. Off the back of a lifted through ball, Earley found herself behind the Skyhawks' back line with the ball at her feet and in stride. The senior then took on a Stonehill defender who made a strong recovery run, beating her one-on-one and snapping off a shot that found the upper right corner. Scoring her sixth goal of the season, the La Mirada, CA native put the Bison up 2-0.

With five minutes left to play in the first half, Annie Renz pulled one back for Stonehill, cutting the deficit in half and scoring her first goal of the season. The sophomore found herself in a one-on-one with NEC Goalkeeper of the Year Trinity Knox after a deflection bounced to the feet of Renz. Making no mistake, Renz took a touch to the side, off-centering the onrushing Knox and giving way for the sophmore to calmly slot home her finish under the legs of Knox.

In a tale of two halves, the second 45 did not see any a significant number of attacking opportunities from either side.

Ultimately, it was the Bison who finished on top, thwarting a final Stonehill scoring opportunity off a corner with less than three minutes to play.

Playing host for the championship match, Howard will look to continue defending home turf, having only lost one game at home this season. Offensively, the Bison have scored 31 goals this season while only allowing 21 on the defensive end.

Howard had the advantage in shots with 17 compared to Stonehill's 12.

Knox finished the match with five saves for the Bison while Sougaris turned away six shots for the Skyhawks. 
 
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#3 FDU 3, #2 Wagner 0

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Staten Island, NY -- Playing the NEC Women's Soccer Tournament semifinals on the road, FDU made itself at home in Staten Island.

The third-seeded Knights scored a trio of highlight reel goals and locked down on defense to secure a 3-0 win over second-seeded Wagner to secure a spot in the NEC final for the third time in four years.

FDU (8-5-6) will travel to the nation's capital, facing off against number one-seeded Howard, in Sunday’s title match at Greene Stadium, with kickoff set for noon on ESPN+ and NEC Front Row. The Knights will be seeking a third NEC title, having previously won it all in 2015 and 2022.

The red-hot Knights are now 6-1-1 in their last eight matcheshe win.

In the 2023 first round matchup, Wagner (8-5-6) beat FDU by a score of 3-0, utlimately advancing to the championship match. Following a 90 minute attacking performance, the Knights flipped the script on the Seahawks, coming away with the commanding result.

Several young talents were on display, as the game featured five NEC All-Rookie Team players. Marina Burzaco, one of the honorees, broke the deadlock to give FDU the lead 30 minutes in. Off the back of a Wagner clearance, Elena Cvetkovic lifted in a first time delivery from just inside the attacking half. Burzaco's darting run led her to connect with the ball from thirteen yards out. In stunning fashion, the freshman's first time looping finish, on a flying, first-time half-volley off the side of her boot, boosted the Knights' to a 1-0 halftime lead.

FDU pinned back Wagner and dominated the lion's share of possession in the first half. The Knights had several promising opportunities, testing the NEC shutout leader Sam Hughes - Wagner's second team All-NEC keeper - on four occasions, beating her once. While the Seahawks were able to get off five shots, the FDU defense showed strong disciplin, allowing only two shots on target during the first 45 minutes.

The Knights doubled their lead in the 70th minute as Kiomy Luperon found the back of the net. The initial cross played in by first team All-NEC defender Andrea Ougaard was blocked and cleared away by the Seahawks' defense. Elise Garcia found the ball at her feet just outside the 18-yard box and swung in a first-time cross from the right wing. Garcia's cross found the head of Luperon, who rose above her defender, beating the onrushing Hughes to the ball. The senior's header took one bounce before rolling into the back of the empty net.

Elena Cvetkovic, after assisting the first goal, turned goalscorer to add a third for FDU in the 85th minute. Earning a corner, Laura Martinez stepped up to deliver the set piece from the right side of the field. Her lifted cross was played on a rope, dropping in the middle of the goal, just 10 yards out. Cvetkovic leaped over the Seahawks' defender, connecting the cross with her head. The freshman drove her header into the ground, taking a bounce which beat both Hughes and the near post defender before making its way into the back of the net.

After 90 minutes, there was no denying the Knights' return to the championship game. 

Freshman Rosemaire LeBlanc finished with three saves for the Knights, recording her eighth shutout of the season, while Hughes finished the match with six saves for the Seahawks.

FDU had the advantage in shots with 16 compared to Wagner's eight, and in corner kicks with five compared to the Seahawks' three.