Pride claim third-straight NEWMAC Title

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The second-seeded Springfield College women's soccer team won its third-straight New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Tournament championship on Sunday afternoon with a 2-1 victory over fourth-seeded Wheaton College at Roberts Field at Steinbrenner Stadium.

With the win, Springfield (13-3-4) has earned an automatic bid into the NCAA Division III Tournament and extended its unbeaten streak to 12 games (9-0-3), which dates back to October 1. The Pride will now await word on their seeding in the upcoming NCAA Tournament via the NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Selection Show scheduled for Monday, November 10 at 1 p.m. Fans can access the selection show by clicking here: NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Selection Show.

Wheaton, who falls to 14-7-2 overall with the loss, will now await the chance for a possible at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament on Monday afternoon. The Lyons made their 14th appearance overall in the conference tournament championship game in program history today and first since 2012.

Since 2000, either Wheaton or Springfield has won 13 out of the last 15 NEWMAC Tournament titles. Wheaton has claimed seven NEWMAC championships in program history, while Springfield has captured six conference titles.

Springfield sophomore back Elizabeth Monsen (Wayne, N.J./DePaul Catholic) was named the NEWMAC Tournament Most Outstanding Player for her efforts throughout the duration of the postseason format. Monsen scored two goals in the tournament including the game-winner against Babson in the semifinal round. Monsen is the fourth Springfield women's soccer student-athlete to earn NEWMAC Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors joining Erin Greenstein, Vicky DiNatale and current teammate Lucy Gillett (Rockville Centre, N.Y./Hofstra) on the list.

In the second minute of the contest, Monsen gave Springfield a 1-0 edge on the scoreboard as her free kick from just outside the box sailed over the hands of Wheaton junior goalkeeper Ali Hinton (Lafayette, Colo./Alexander Dawson School) and into the back of the net for her second goal of the season.

The Pride doubled their advantage 3:28 later with junior midfielder Jessica Miller's (Southbury, Conn./Pomperaug) fourth marker of the year. Miller tracked down a loose ball in the box and beat Hinton with a shot into the lower right corner of the net to take a quick 2-0 lead.

Wheaton's offense responded with four shots over the next 20 minutes after Springfield's second goal of the contest before cutting its deficit in half at the 25 minute mark. Gillett, who stopped one shot during the aforementioned span, had her shutout bid broken up by sophomore back Brooke Collard (Orange, Calif./Orange Lutheran) who headed home a ball that bounced up into the air out of a scrum in the box for her first career goal.

The Lyons ended the half with a 10-5 advantage in shots and 3-1 differential in corner kicks.

Springfield concluded the second stanza with a 9-7 advantage in shots to hold on for the win and its third-straight NEWMAC championship. Wheaton pressed late in the match to find the equalizer with three shots that came after the 70th minute, but Gillett made saves on both chances that went on goal taken by senior Kelsee Howes (Maynard, Mass./Maynard) and Kaitlin Montoya (Placentia, Calif./Orange Lutheran).

Hinton and Gillett both finished with six saves, while Wheaton wrapped up the match with a 17-14 margin in shots and a 5-2 spread in corner kicks.

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