TEANECK, N.J. (Nov. 7, 2010) – For the first time in its 25-year history the Saint Francis University women's soccer team is the Northeast Conference Champion. The Red Flash defeated top-seeded Long Island, 1-0, for the second time this season – this time at Fairleigh Dickinson's University Stadium for the title.
“We worked so hard for this,” said Saint Francis head coach Brenda van Stralen. “It just finally came together for us this season. We were close a few times over the past seven years but had some bad luck with injuries and things like that.”
“We all knew this opportunity would come one day and here it is.”
After advancing to the final with a tie, Saint Francis's first-ever playoff win came under similarly atypical circumstances. The only Red Flash goal of the game came via an own goal in the 29th minute.
A cross by NEC Player of the Year Tesa McKibben (Cogan Station, Pa./Montoursville) struck an LIU defender and deflected into the net. Even without the fortuitous bounce, the eventual game-winner would have likely been netted by freshman Barbara Maros de Carvalho (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Colegio Sagrado Coraco de Jesus), who was waiting in good position to receive the ball.
From that point on, the Red Flash matched the Blackbirds at their own game – defense.
Despite being outshot 8-to-2 in the second half – and 13-to-4 on the afternoon – the Saint Francis defense weathered the storm and with a solid six-save performance by senior goalkeeper Lauren Fearer (Mount Pleasant, Pa./Mount Pleasant Area) the single first-half goal stood up.
The Flash (15-4-2) used a similar formula to win the teams' regular season encounter nine days earlier in Loretto. SFU accounted for two of Long Island's three losses on the season and was the only league foe to score on the vaunted Blackbird defense.
After the game, four SFU players were named to the tournament team: seniors forward Haleigh Dunyon (Long Beach, Calif./Woodrow Wilson) and Chelsea Traurig (McMurray, Pa./Peters Township), junior midfielder Traci Flick (Montoursville, Pa./Montoursville) and Fearer. Traurig was also named tournament MVP.
With a program record 15 wins already under their belts, the Red Flash now await their draw in the NCAA Tournament. The selection show airs Monday at 4 p.m.
