CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – For the third straight season the Lesley University women's soccer team will host Elms College in the New England Collegiate Conference Championship match. The Lynx, who are making their eighth straight Finals appearance, are seeking their fourth consecutive conference title and fifth in program history.
The top-seeded Lynx ran away with a 7-0 win over fourth-seeded Becker College in Thursday's Semifinal match while the Blazers blanked Southern Vermont College 2-0 to punch their ticket to their sixth Championship match appearance.
NECC WOMEN'S SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP
No. 2 Elms College (16-3-1, 8-1-0 NECC) at No. 1 Lesley University (15-5-0, 9-0-0 NECC)
Saturday, November 7th – 1:00p
Edward Field – 80 Gerry's Landing Road, Cambridge, Mass.
*A Fan Shuttle Will Depart From Lesley's Lot B at 12:00p and 12:30p*
Scouting Lesley
The Lynx have been rolling as they have won 11 straight matches while outscoring their opponents by a 52-3 margin during the streak. Lynx freshman Jordan Mitchell (Sachse, Texas) has enjoyed a phenomenal rookie campaign as she leads the Lynx with ten goals, ten assists, and 30 total points. Junior Julie Essick (Boerne, Texas), senior Hayley Wirth (Escondido, Calif.), and freshman Samantha Bessey (Algonquin, Ill.) have each deposited six goals on the year while fellow rookie Kai Morehead (Oxnard, Calif.), who scored a goal and dished out three assists in Lesley's 7-0 win over Becker, enters the game with four goals and eight assists on the year. Sophomore keeper Lilly Donovan (Newburyport, Mass.) leads the NECC with a .920 save percentage and 0.19 goals-against-average.
Scouting Elms
The Blazers have been equally as hot as they have won nine straight and enjoyed a 35-1 scoring margin during the streak. Brie Voight ranks second in the conference with a team-high 16 goals on the season while Jackie Soucia has dished out ten assists on the season. Senior Michelle Rossignol has chipped in with nine goals and four assists for the Blazers. Keeper Alexa Rinaudo is fifth in the NECC with a .785 save percentage and ranks second behind Lilly Donovan with a 0.74 goals-against average.
Previous Matchups
The two sides have plenty of history in the conference tournament dating back to the inaugural title bout in 2008. After playing to a 0-0 tie through regulation and two overtime periods, the Blazers topped the Lynx 3-2 in penalty kicks to claim their first title.
Lesley avenged that loss the following season as they blew past Elms with a 3-1 win in 2009. The teams met again in the Finals in 2011 where Elms scored the only goal of the match in the 42nd minute to claim a 1-0 victory over the Lynx.
The Lynx have held the advantage since then, however, beating the Blazers in 1-0 in a double-overtime thriller in 2013 before scoring three goals in 3:11 to earn a 3-0 win in last season's Finals meeting.
In their lone meeting in 2015, the Lynx received goals from Samantha Rapant (Pittsfield, Mass.), Wirth, and Mitchell as they blanked the Blazers 3-0 at Edward Field on September 26th.
What's At Stake
The winner of the match will earn the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Lynx are vying for their fourth straight trip to NCAA's while the Blazers are in search of their first berth since 2011.