Northeast Conference

Lock Haven Shuts Out Monmouth for Fourth Consecutive NEC Field Hockey Crown

NEC Tournament MVP
Suzann Hobart

Lock Haven scored twice in the final 20 minutes of play to top Monmouth, 2-0, and capture an unprecedented fourth consecutive Northeast Conference Field Hockey Tournament title. As a result, the Lady Eagles will represent the NEC when they face the Patriot League champion a NCAA Tournament Play-in match slated for Tuesday, November 10. The upset-minded Hawks, who stunned Rider in yesterday's semifinal round, hung tough over 50 minutes and 56 seconds of scoreless hockey until Lock Haven sophomore Kristi Shepps (Willow Street, PA/Penn Manor) finally broke through with the eventual game-winner.

Host CCSU and Monmouth to Face Off in Northeast Conference Championship Game

The top two seeds advanced to the championship match in the 2009 Northeast Conference Women's Soccer Tournament on Friday (click for highlights/postgame interviews). In the first semifinal held at the CCSU Soccer Field in New Britain, top-seeded Central Connecticut State (9-0-1) remained unbeaten against league opposition with a 1-0 victory over fourth-seeded Long Island (5-4-1). It was fitting that the 2009 NEC Player of the Year, Leah Blayney (Katoomba, New South Wales/Auburn University), scored the game-winning tally to put the No. 1 Blue Devils through to the title match. Blayney broke the scoreless tie with her 12th goal on the year in the 70th minute from a ball delivered by midfielder Clio Tregear (West Sussex Englad/Oaklands College) after senior captain Karise Hilt (Leominster, MA/Uxbridge) collected the ball on a turnover. Monmouth (8-1-1) advanced to the title tilt with a 1-0 decision of its own on a finish from Mary Wilks (Bridgeton, NJ/Bridgeton) in the 36th minute. Forward Courtney Snyder (Oradell, NJ/River Dell) also nabbed a turnover to feed the ball to Wilks who then beat the defense and Quinnipiac keeper Biz Cook�s (Appleton, WI/Appleton) to the left to tally her 12th goal on the season. CCSU and Monmouth will now meet in the championship game for the fourth time in NEC playoff annals. CCSU has been victorious twice, once in a penalty kick shootout in 2002 by a 5-3 count. MU came out on top in 1997 by a decisive 4-0 tally handing the Blue Devils its only tournament title loss in all eight times CCSU has appeared in the final match. Championship match time is slated for 1:00 p.m. on Sunday on the CCSU Soccer Field.