Story courtesy of Rob Palardy, Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Jodi Fralick (WOBURN, Mass./Woburn) scored two goals and the Lesley University (15-4-1, 8-0 NECC) backfield limited their opponents to just four shots as the Lynx captured the New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) women's soccer championship with a 3-1 victory over Mitchell College (8-11, 6-2 NECC). For Lesley, it was their first conference championship in program history.
Lesley and Mitchell battled through 40 minutes of play before the Lynx were finally able to get on the board with the match's first goal. Fralick collected a free ball in the box and finished the left corner of the net on the ground for her 31st goal of the season. The goal put the Lynx up 1-0 going into halftime.
Nearly 20 minutes into the second half, Lesley junior midfielder Alyson Durben (STOW, Mass./Nashoba Regional) fired a shot that was blocked at point blank range by Mariners keeper Brittany O'Neil (OLD SAYBROOK, Conn./Old Saybrook). Durben saw the rebound come right back to her and she found an opening for her second goal of the season to put Lesley up two goals to nil.
Twenty-one seconds later, Fralick struck again after with her second goal of the match after O'Neil saved a header attempt. Fralick took the rebound and finished to the back of the net for her 32nd goal of the season.
Down 3-0, Mitchell chipped away at the Lesley lead with a goal in the 83rd minute as Paige Ehnot (WEST HARTFORD, Conn./Conrad) headed in a cross pass from Nikki Hoxie (WINSTED, Conn./Gilbert School) back Lesley keeper Hailee Lowe (HAMILTON, Mass./Hamilton-Wenham). For Ehnot, it was her 10th goal of the season to cut the Lynx lead down to 3-1.
Lesley held on to their two-goal lead for the rest of the match and took home the NECC Championship.
NECC All-Tournament Team
Alexandra Fernandes, Becker College, So., Forward
Keri Richardson, Becker College, Fr., Forward
Krystyna Gagne, Elms College, Sr., Forward
Serina Percoski, Elms College, Sr., Defender
Leslie Briggs, Mitchell College, So., Forward
Nikki Hoxie, Mitchell College, So., Forward
Jessica Brandt, Mitchell College, Sr., Midfielder
Shannen Pelletier, Mitchell College, So., Midfielder
Hailee Lowe, Lesley University, Sr., Goalkeeper
Cathryn Folkestad, Lesley University, Sr., Defender
Kate Ryder, Lesley University, Fr., Midfielder
Tournament Most Valuable Player: Jodi Fralick, Lesley University, Sr., Forward