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(Lock
Haven, Pa.) - The
2002 NCAA Northeast Region Women’s Soccer Championship will be contested on
Sunday, November 17, between Lock Haven University (16-2-1) and Adelphi
University (16-1-2).
Lock Haven, the top seed in the region, earned a bye in the first round
and hosts the regional championship game on McCollum Field at 1:30 p.m.
Adelphi, the second seed, captured a first-round win over Bloomsburg
University, 2-1, to advance to the second round.
It is the fourth-straight appearance in the NCAA tournament for the No.
8-ranked Lady Eagles, who make the entrance into the national playoffs under
first-year head coach Shannon Champ. Lock
Haven has captured two Northeast Regional titles (1999, 2001) and is the
defending champion after defeating Slippery Rock University, 3-2, in overtime
last season. At 16-2-1 overall,
Lock Haven had been on a 12-game non-losing streak prior to suffering its
second loss of the season to Millersville University, 2-1, in the Pennsylvania
State Athletic Conference (PSAC) semifinals last week.
LHU was the conference regular season champion, going undefeated at
11-0-0, and is atop the league in scoring offense (3.05 gpg) and scoring
defense (0.63).
This year marks the seventh trip to the NCAA tournament and first since
1997 for Adelphi, who has finished as high as national runner-up back in 1992.
Under the guidance of 12th-year head coach Rich Ilsley, the
Panthers are 16-1-2 overall, their only loss coming at the hands of the Lady
Eagles (2-0) back in mid-October. Adelphi
went 10-0-2 in the New York Collegiate Athletic Conference (NYCAC) to capture
its second-straight conference title, and advanced into the regional finals
with a 2-0 win over Bloomsburg University.
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PSAC Athlete of the Year
Brooke Rangi
Full
Tournament Bracket
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LOCK HAVEN:
The Lady Eagles were stunned by a PSAC semifinal loss, but have since regained
their composure and are eager to defend their regional crown.
Leading the way is PSAC Athlete of the Year Brooke Rangi (Kawerau,
New Zealand/Kawerau College), who paces LHU with 36 points off of 12 goals
and 12 assists. The second-year
forward knocked in both goals of the regular season 2-0 win over Adelphi. Junior midfielder Naomi Clarke (Cambridge, New Zealand/St.
Peter’s School) has booted a team-best 13 goals and has also assisted on
eight others for 34 points. Other top scorers have included forwards Katie
Taylor (Hammonton, N.J./Edgewood) (6g, 4a) and Adria Vitale
(Philadelphia/St. Maria Goretti) (5g, 2a) along with midfielders Becky
Nichols (Wind Gap/Nazareth) (6g, 1a) and Joanna Bisphan (Hamilton, New
Zealand/Hillcrest) (4g, 2a). Defensively,
the Lady Eagles front a unit that has allowed 12 goals this season and produced
13 shutout victories. Danielle
Smith (Johnson, N.Y./Minisink Valley) heads up the stingy defensive
alignment from center back, while Erika Schneider (Mechanicsburg/Cumberland
Valley) and Christa Cox (Ephrata/Ephrata) patrol the sidelines.
The last line of defense lies in keeper Heather Ireland (Sarnia, ONT/Northern
NCIVS). Ireland set a new school record with 12 shutouts and owns a 0.60
goals against average.
ADELPHI: The
Panthers of Adelphi enter into the regional championship game with a 16-1-2
overall record, and are currently riding a six-game win streak.
Heading up the Panther attack is sophomore forward Josephine Coiro
(West Babylon, N.Y./West Babylon) and junior midfielder Luciana Pace
(Bellmore, N.Y./Our Lady of Mercy). Coiro
leads the squad and is ranked nationally with 18 goals on the season along with
five assists. Pace has added 13
goals and four assists, including one score in the 2-1, first-round win over
Bloomsburg. Forward Jennifer Garone (West Hempstead, N.Y./W. Hempstead) (6g
,4a) and midfielders Domonique Riccardo (Valley Stream, N.Y./V.S. Central)
(5g, 3a) and Marissa Cotilletta (New Hyde Park, N.Y./CW Post) (2g, 8a)
all add a scoring punch to a Panther offense which has posted 59 goals this
season. Defensively, Hilliary
Horn (Albuquerque, N.M./Eldorado), Karen Sulinski (Huntington,
N.Y./Huntington) and Dina Cali (Valley
Steam, N.Y./VS North) have combined with keeper Andrea Fasano (Syosset,
N.Y./Syosset) to limit opponents to just eight goals and a 0.46 team goals
against average. Fasano rates as one of the top goalies in the nation, ranking
among the top ten with a personal 0.46 goals against average.
In the regular season, Lock Haven defeated Adelphi, 2-0. LHU forward Brooke Rangi scored one goal in each half to help
lift the Lady Eagles to the win.
The winner of Sunday’s contest advances to the
national quarterfinal round, where they will face the winner of the New England
region playoff between Franklin Pierce College and Merrimack College on
November 23 or 24 at a site yet to be determined.
###LHU###
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