BEVERLY, MA - With a goal from Megan McBride in the
33rd minute, top seeded Endicott College (17-5) defeated #4 Saint
Joseph's (15-6) in an ECAC Tourney Semifinal matchup on Saturday
afternoon.
Endicott came out firing in the first period and immediately tested
the Saint Joseph's keeper. The Commonwealth Coast Conference Rookie
of the Year Anna Giannoni (Granby, Conn.) blasted a shot to the
lower left post, forcing Meaghan
Johnson '12 (Portland, ME/Cheverus) to make a
sprawling save just five minutes into the contest to keep the game
scoreless.
The Lady Monks transitioned the play the other way, and senior
netminder Chelsea DeFeo (York, Maine) was equal to the challenge.
DeFeo came off her line and played the angel, turning away a
Kayla Nowell '11 (Bridgeton, ME)
shot from just five yards out with her right pad.
Endicott finally broke through with just under three minutes left
in the opening half as sophomore Lindsey Mills (Arlington, Mass.)
sent a bouncing pass over three defenders sticks, allowing McBride
to fire a shot into the back of the net. The Gulls would enter the
intermission with a 1-0 lead.
The second half was a see-saw battle as the teams each looked to
get their offense on track. The Monks would outshoot the Gulls in
the final frame by a 7-1 margin but could not put a shot past
Endicott's DeFeo. The end of the period would end in exciting
fashion as Saint Joseph's Jillian
Kimball '10 (Albany Township, ME) and
Sarah Bartell '12 (Exeter, N.H.)
put three shots on goal with :40 seconds remaining but all would be
turned away by Endicott's senior net-minder. St. Joe's would earn a
penalty corner with no time remaining in the game as
Kimball had another opportunity that sailed wide
left, resulting in a Gulls victory.
Endicott's DeFeo was able to make seven saves in the game while
facing 11 shots in earning her tenth shutout of the season. Saint
Joseph's Meaghan Johnson had one
save in the contest on five shots faced.
The loss caps a record breaking season for the Lady Monks. The 2008
squad posted 15 wins, along with a .714 winning percentage and
tallied 75 goals, 65 assists and 215 points, all new
program-highs.
Saint Joseph's outshot the host Gulls, 11-5 and posted a 9-4
advantage in penalty corners in the loss.
The Gulls move onto the ECAC Finals in a game to be held on Tuesday
tentatively at 4:00 p.m. The Gulls will face the winner of the
other ECAC Semifinal match between No. 3 seed Westfield State
College and No. 2 Plymouth State in a game that will be played on
Sunday.
Field Hockey Game Summary (Final)
2008 Saint Joseph's College Field Hockey
St. Joseph's (Me.) vs Endicott (11/13/08 at Beverly, Mass.)
St. Joseph's (Me.) (15-6) vs. Endicott (17-5)
Date: 11/13/08 Attendance: 204
Weather: periods of rain, low 40s
Goals by period 1 2 Tot
-------------------------------
St. Joseph's (Me.).. 0 0 - 0
Endicott............ 1 0 - 1
SCORING SUMMARY:
1. 32:19 EC Megan McBride (Lindsey Mills) - through ball to right
side, shot past goalie
Shots: St. Joseph's (Me.) 11, Endicott 5
Saves: St. Joseph's (Me.) 1 (Meaghan Johnson 1), Endicott 7
(Chelsea
DeFeo 7)
COURTESY OF ENDICOTT COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION