Women’s Soccer Garners Berth in ECAC Division III New England Championship
CENTERVILLE, Mass. – The Elms College women's soccer team earned the eighth seed in the 2013 Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III New England Championship tournament and will take on top-seeded Roger Williams University on Wednesday, November 13 at 1:00 p.m. at North Field in Bristol, R.I.
The Blazers (11-9-1) finished as runners-up in the New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) Championship finals, falling to Lesley University, 1-0 in double overtime. Elms is making the program's first-ever trip to ECAC postseason play.
Roger Williams (17-2-3) enters ECAC Championship action after falling to Gordon College on penalty kicks in the semifinal round of the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Championship tournament. The Hawks and Fighting Scots played to a 2-2 double overtime draw before Gordon advanced by a margin of 3-1 from the penalty spot.
Elms is led by sophomore midfielder Michelle Rossignol (Manchester, Conn.) who has scored 11 goals and assisted on two others, while sophomore forward Melissa Welch (Westfield, Mass.) has netted seven goals and added seven assists.
Rossignol was named First Team All-NECC, while Welch garnered Second Team All-NECC honors. Blazers' senior defender Ally Witaszek (Feeding Hills, Mass.) joined Rossignol on the all-conference first team with three goals and three assists, while senior midfielder Christina Goodchild (East Longmeadow, Mass.) was selected to the second team after netting four goals and three helpers.
The Hawks had seven players named All-CCC including Katie Lydon (Riverside, R.I.) who was named CCC Offensive Player of the Year and First Team All-CCC, and Jessica Reade (North Yarmouth, Maine) who was named CCC Defensive Player of the Year.
Lydon, Reade, Hannah Noel (Adams, Mass.), and Tory Benoit (Shrewsbury, Mass.) were all chosen to the All-CCC First Team, while Mariah Kaiser (Portsmouth, R.I.) made the All-CCC Second Team. Kristen Tetreault (Tolland, Conn.) and Stephanie Jaques (Burlington, Vt.) each received Honorable Mention All-CCC.
Lydon leads the team in goals with 14 and six assists, while Tetreault has netted 11 goals and added six assists. Kaiser and Noel follow with 10 goals and five assists each.
Elms and Roger Williams last met in 1998 and the Blazers are 1-4-1 against the Hawks dating back to the 1992 season.
First Round – Wednesday, November 13
No. 8 Elms College at No. 1 Roger Williams University, 1:00 p.m.
No. 7 Castleton State University at No. 2 Brandeis University, 1:00 p.m.
No. 6 Eastern Nazerene College at No. 3 Wheaton College, 1:30 p.m.
No. 5 Albertus Magnus College at No. 4 Framingham State University, 1:00 p.m.
Semifinals – Saturday, November 16 at Site To Be Determined
No. 1 Roger Williams/No. 8 Elms winner vs. No. 4 Framingham/No. 5 Albertus Magnus winner, TBD
No. 2 Brandeis/No. 7 Castleton State winner vs. No. 3 Wheaton/No. 6 Eastern Nazerene, TBD
Championship – Sunday, November 17 at Site To Be Determined
Two Semifinal Winners, TBD
