First Round - Wednesday, November 8, 2006
No. 1 Smith College 4, No. 8 Saint Joseph College 0 
No. 7 Fitchburg State College 1, No. 2 Springfield College 2
No. 5 Rhode Island College 2, No. 4 Brandeis University 3

First Round - Thursday, November 9, 2006
No. 6 Bridgewater State College 0, No. 3 Keene State College 1

Semifinals - Saturday, November 11, 2006 (highest remaining seeds)
Smith 1,  Brandeis, 0
Springfield 2, Keene State 0

Championship - Sunday, November 12, 2006 at Smith at 12:00
Smith 4,  Springfield 0
 
Smith Soccer Wins ECAC New England Championship

Northampton, MA:  The Pioneers defeated Springfield College 4-0 this afternoon in the wind and rain to capture the ECAC New England Women's Soccer Championship for the third time in the program's history.  The other two titles were won in 1985 and 1987.

 With the win Smith ended the season with a 14-7-1 record, the team's best finish since 1991, and gave coach Phil Nielsen his 100th career victory. The Pioneers attack began on the first whistle with the home team scoring its first two goals of the game within twenty seconds of each other at the 5:33 and 5:53 marks.  First year Dalyn Houser (Atlanta, GA) scored her sixth game winning goal of the season on a shot to the upper right corner followed by Brittoni Famous (Collegeville, PA) who found herself one-on-one with the keeper.  Ten minutes later, Hailey Bird (Salt Lake City, UT) passed the ball again to Houser who fired a shot that rebounded off the hands of  goalkeeper Sue Jenney (Agawam, MA) and rolled into the net to give Smith a 3-0 lead at the half.  The last goal of the game was tallied by Famous at the 67:04 mark as she won her second one-on-one battle with Springfield's keeper.  Lauren Bachtel (Dublin, OH) picked up her tenth win and seventh shut-out of the year in goal for the Pioneers while Jenney took the loss for the Pride who finish the season with a 14-6 record.

SPRINGFIELD BLANKS KEENE STATE, 2-0, IN ECAC SEMIFINALS

SPRINGFIELD, Mass.  (November 11, 2006) - Senior forward Annemarie Goodwin (Springfield, Mass.) scored the game-winning-goal in the ninth minute of the game (8:03) to help the No. 2 Pride advance past No. 3 Keene State in the semifinal round of the Eastern College Athletic Association (ECAC) tournament.

The Pride controlled the tempo of the game early after Goodwin netted the team's first goal. Senior midfielder Michelle Bongiovanni (West Springfield, Mass.) recorded the assist.  The Pride out-shot the Keene State Owls by a margin of 15-4, allowing only two opponent shots per half. Springfield College also held a 10-4 edge in corner kicks.

The Owls remained in striking distance by implementing an offsides trap which drew the Pride offsides seven times in today's match. However, the Pride broke through the defensive line once more in the second half, when junior midfielder Lindsay Bugbee (Granby, Conn.) took aim on a pass from sophomore Nicole Hanewich (Cumberland, R.I.). Bugbee's goal at the 67:26 mark served an insurance to send the Pride into the final round of the ECAC tournament.

Goalkeeper for the Pride, junior Amanda Petri (East Granby, Conn.), made four saves, three of which she deflected over the top of the goal post. Tonight's match marked Petri's third win and second shutout for the year.

Owl's freshman goalie Liz Rosen (Swanzey, N.H.) put aside six SC shots in ninety minutes. Her regular season record drops to 12-7. Keene State ends their season with an overall record of 15-9.

No. 2 Springfield College (14-5) will travel to Northampton, Mass. tomorrow, Sunday, November 12th, to take on No. 1 Smith College in the championship game of the ECAC tournament. The Pride looks avenge two earlier losses against the Pioneers in tomorrow's match-up. The teams square-off at 12:00 noon.

Smith Soccer Advances To Title Game of ECAC Championship

Northampton, MA:  The Pioneers defeated Brandeis University 2-0 this afternoon to advance to the title game of the 2006 ECAC New England Women's Soccer Championship and will host the winner of the Springfield College/Keene State College game tomorrow at noon.

 Both teams had scoring opportunities in the first half but each team's defense stepped up to keep the game scoreless at the half.  Janine Olthuis (Cavan, Ontario) scored the eventual game winning goal for the Pioneers at the 47:10 mark on a direct kick that sailed into the upper right corner of the net. Smith followed with an insurance goal eight minutes later when Natalie Sullivan (Aptos, CA) carried the ball up the right side and crossed it to Krista Matatt (Hoosick Falls, NY) who headed it in for the only other goal of the game.  Lauren Bachtel (Dublin, OH) registered her 9th win of the year while Betsey Medow (Yorktown Hts., NY) took the loss for the Judges who end the year 10-6-3.

Smith Soccer Defeats Saint Joseph's 4-0 in ECAC Quarterfinals

Northampton, MA:  Top seed Smith College defeated St. Joseph's (ME) this afternoon 4-0 in the quarterfinals of the 2006 Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) New England Women's Soccer Championship. The Pioneers advance to the semi-finals at noon on Saturday and host the winner of the Brandeis/Rhode Island College game.

Smith scored what proved to be the winning goal just eight minutes into the game on a corner kick by Caitlyn Colman-McGaw (Manchester, CT) who found first year Dalyn Houser (Atlanta, GA) who headed the ball into the upper left corner. Both teams exchanged shots before junior Ashley Bauer (Bradford, NH) scored unassisted as she chipped the ball from the top of the box over the hands of Monk's keeper Shannon Northrop (Westbrook, ME) to give the Pioneers a 2-0 lead at the half.

Smith scored its last two goals within one minute of each other at the 65 minute mark. Houser scored her second goal of the game on a passes from Brittoni Famous (Collegeville, PA) and Danielle Schmandt (Austin, TX) and Schmandt notched her own goal less than one minute later with an assist from Sara Dilegge (Mashpee, MA).

Both teams had eight shots and five corner kicks.  Marlowe Dieckmann (Oakland, CA) picked up her fourth win of the season in goal while Smith improved to 12-7-1 overall while Northrop took the loss for the Monks and end the season 11-9.

Brandeis women's soccer advances to fourth straight ECAC semifinal in overtime, 3-2, over RIC

WALTHAM, Mass. -- Rookie midfielder Melissa Gorenkoff (Woodbury, N.Y.) took the ball half the length of the field to score the game-winning goal in overtime today as the Brandeis University Judges advanced over Rhode Island College, 3-2, in the quarterfinals of the Eastern College Athletic Conference Division III Women's New England Soccer Championship.

Brandeis (10-5-3) fell behind early as Rhode Island College (14-8) opened the scoring in the fourth minute. Junior forward Gina Callena (Warren, R.I.) slid a nice ball through the defense to classmate Brittney Godbout (Cranston, R.I.), who tallied her ninth goal of the season just 3:18 into the contest.

Although the Judges carried play, it looked as though the lone goal might stand up. The hosts evened the score in the 79th minute, however, on an own-goal. Senior Melissa Gordon (Islip, N.Y.) challenged a ball in the crease, and while RIC sophomore goalie Krissie Pyzynski (Briston, Conn.) made the initial save, she lost her footing on the wet field and put the ball into her own net.

The Judges claimed their first lead just 36 seconds later as junior midfielder Amy King (Merrimack, N.H.) took advantage of confusion deep in the Anchorwomen's zone as slammed home a ball that had deflected off the post. It was King's second goal of the season.

RIC didn't go quietly, putting the pressure on the Brandeis defenders. Their work paid off in the 87th minute, when junior Abby Hummel (No. Kingstown, R.I.) took advantage of a Brandeis turnover. She sent the ball on net from just outside the box and again the rainy weather had an effect, as the ball slipped through the hands of Brandeis junior netminder Betsey Medow (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.). Pyzynski made a late save in regulation to force the extra session, setting up Gorenkoff's heroics.

Brandeis advances to the ECAC tournament semifinals for the fourth year in a row. The Judges will travel to Northampton, Mass., meet top-seeded Smith College in the semifinals on Saturday at noon. RIC ends its winningest season in school history.

Springfield Rolls Past Fitchburg, 2-1

SPRINGFIELD, Mass., (November 8, 2006) - Sophomore midfielder Lauren Peltier (Agawam, Mass.) scored the game-winning goal with less than 12 minutes in regulation to lift the Pride over Fitchburg State College, 2-1, in the first round of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) tournament.

Rainy conditions stunted the offense through most of the first half. Neither team managed to gain possession long enough to initiate an offensive strike. As the half came to a close (43:13), West Springfield, Mass. native, Michelle Bongiovanni ‘07 knocked the ball into the back of the net during a multi-player skirmish in front of the Fitchburg State goal. The Pride entered halftime with a 1-0 lead.

In the second half, Springfield College maintained possession throughout the opening minutes. Thirteen minutes in the second half, Falcon's leading scorer, Lauren Wundt (Southwick, Mass.) netted the game's equalizer on a fast break, disrupting the Pride's control. Both teams battled over the next 20 minutes, despite slippery conditions. Tonight's physical match saw a total of 19 fouls. At the 78:39 mark, sophomore Lauren Peltier took aim on a ball that had just ricocheted off Fitchburg's goalkeeper. Her score put the Pride ahead, 2-1. Fitchburg State would not to tie the score again.

Despite the back-and-forth flow of the game, Springfield College held a decided offensive advantage, out-shooting the Falcons 17-5 and holding a 3-1 margin in corner-kicks. Springfield College totaled 10 shots-on-goal to Fitchburg's four.

Goalkeeper for the Pride, sophomore Sue Jenney (Agawam, Mass.) made three saves on the night. With an 11-2 overall record, Jenney's season goals-against-average is an impressive 0.81.

Freshmen Emily Swan (Franklin, Mass.) and Kyla Batchelder (Stoughten, Mass.) each played 45 minutes in goal for the Falcons. Swan and Batchelder totaled four saves a piece. Each keeper allowed one Pride goal. The Falcon's season came to an end with tonight's loss. FSC finished with a 13-5-1 overall record.

No. 2 Springfield College (13-5) advances to the semifinal round of the ECAC tournament. The Pride will host the winner of No. 3 Keene State vs. No. 6 Bridgewater State match (to be played tomorrow, November 9th) on Saturday, November 11th.

Keene Advances in New England

KEENE, N.H. 11/9/06 - A late second half goal by Renee Halsey (Francestown, N.H.) lifted third seed Keene State College to a 1-0 victory over sixth seed Bridgewater State College in a first-round game of the ECAC Division III New England Women's Soccer Tournament at Owl Athletic Complex on Thursday.

Keene State (15-8), the defending ECAC champs, advances to a semifinal game at second seed Springfield College on Saturday (3 p.m.).  It will be the first meeting between the Owls and Pride since the 1997 season.  Top seed Smith College will face fourth seed Brandeis University in the other semifinal match up.  The two semifinal winners will meet Sunday for the title at the highest remaining seed.

Halsey's game-winning goal, her sixth of the season, came at the 77:43 mark of the second half.  Taking a pass from Kendra Spencer (Petoskey, Mich.), Halsey let go a drive from 25-yards out that went over BSC goalie Emily Schlosser (Petersham, Mass.) head and landed just under the cross bar. 

Halsey gave Spencer credit for setting up the goal.  "I wouldn't have scored the goal without Kendra's perfect through pass," Halsey said. "I just shot it hoping for the best."

Following a scoreless first half, the Bears have several opportunities to get on the board.  Katie Neary (Abington, Mass.) had a couple of good scoring chances that were stopped by Owl goalie Liz Rosen (Swanzey, N.H.).

"It wasn't one of our best performances, but we'll take the win," said KSC coach Denise Lyons.  "Hopefully we'll play better against Springfield on Saturday.  The important thing at this point of the season is to keep winning."

Rosen stopped six shots for her seventh shutout of the season.  Schlosser finished with eight saves for Bridgewater State (9-7-4), which was making its first appearance in the tournament.