Fifth-Seeded Women’s Soccer Clipped at #4 Seed Becker in NECC Tournament First Round, 2-1

LEICESTER, Mass.- The fifth-seeded Eastern Nazarene College women's soccer team suffered a 2-1 setback at No. 4 seed Becker Saturday in the opening round of the New England Collegiate Conference Tournament.

The Lions conclude the 2019 campaign with a 3-12-1 overall record while the Hawks improve to 12-7-2 on the year and advance to the NECC semifinals to face top-seeded Lesley.

The hosts grabbed a 1-0 lead with an early strike. Mariposa Nash-Gibney netted her second goal of the season in the fourth minute off of an assist by Kyra Teixeira.

Becker tacked on its second goal of the game in the 16th minute to widen the gap to 2-0 as Hannah Trottier collected her first tally of the year.

The visitors responded just 18 seconds later, capitalizing on their first shot attempt of the contest to cut the deficit to 2-1. Sam Bernardi (Longmeadow, Mass.) slotted home her fourth marker of the fall in the 17th minute as Diamond Best (Danvers, Mass.) picked up her first assist of the season.

At the half, Eastern Nazarene trailed 2-1 while Becker held a 17-1 advantage in shots and a 6-0 edge in corner kicks earned.

Neither squad found the back of the net in the second stanza as the Hawks captured their third-consecutive NECC Tournament first-round win.

The Lions managed four shots and a pair of corner kicks on the evening. Becker manufactured 29 shot attempts and 10 corners in the game.

Senior goalkeeper Griselda Minchaca (Whittier, Calif.) capped off the contest with nine saves in her 13th start of the season.