Women’s Soccer Tops UNE 1-0; Advances to CCC Semis

QUINCY, Mass.- The Eastern Nazarene women's soccer team prevailed 1-0 over the University of New England Saturday afternoon at Veterans Memorial Stadium in the quarterfinals of the Commonwealth Coast Conference Playoffs.

The fourth-seeded Lions improve to 9-7-3 overall while the fifth-seeded Nor'easters slip to 7-11-1 on the year.

Eastern Nazarene advances to the semifinal round to face top-seeded Gordon October 30. The Fighting Scots defeated the Lions earlier this season 3-0.

The home team got on the board in the 44th minute as sophomore Jules Speno (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.) tallied her team-leading 10th marker of the fall. The All-CCC first team selection rifled a free kick from just outside the penalty area past the visitors' goalkeeper to give Eastern Nazarene a 1-0 edge before the break.

At halftime, the two squads had each registered four shots in the opening 45 minutes while neither side conceded a corner kick.

The Nor'easters nearly netted an equalizer in the opening stages of the second half but Lions' goalkeeper Kristen Farley (Westminster, Mass.) covered the ball to preserve the shutout.

Eastern Nazarene possessed the ball in the University of New England's defensive end for the first 15 minutes of the second frame.

The Lions defense held strong, thwarting every attack the Nor'easters created in search for the tying goal.

Farley finished the contest with five saves en route to her ninth win of the season and fifth clean sheet between the pipes for Eastern Nazarene. Samantha Guyette stopped three shots in goal for the University of New England on the day.

Both teams fired 11 shots in the match and the Nor'easters owned a 2-1 advantage in corner kicks earned.

Speno paced the Lions with eight shots in the game and two attempts on goal. Sam Williams (Forest Hill, Md.) also recorded a pair of shots on frame for Eastern Nazarene.

"A great win by our team and I am extremely proud of the way we played," said head coach Steve Hamilton. "Our players fought hard for the entire game and we did a great job of winning 50-50 balls. We will look to carry the levels of focus and intensity into Tuesday's match."