Eagles Late Comeback Falls Short In NECC Quarterfinals

- Courtesy Mitchell Sports Information -

New London, Conn. - The Mitchell College women's soccer team advanced past sixth-seeded Daniel Webster College by a 5-3 final on Tuesday afternoon in the quarterfinals of the 2009 NECC Championship.

The third-seeded Mariners (7-10-0 overall) got two goals apiece from sophomore Leslie Briggs (Dighton, Mass.) and junior Paige Ehnot (West Hartford, Conn.). Sophomore Nikki Hoxie (Winsted, Conn.) added four assists for Mitchell, which advanced to the semifinals at Elms College on Thursday at 7 p.m.

Junior Kim Lemire (Merrimack, N.H.) notched a goal and an assist to lead Daniel Webster (5-11-0 overall). Senior Erin Hurd (Centerville, Mass.) and freshman Hilary Girard (Seymour, Conn.) also found the back of the net for the Eagles.

Ehnot put the Mariners on the board in the 25th minute on a header to the far post off a feed from Hoxie on the right side. Briggs then connected on her first goal in the 36th minute, sliding in front of the goal to finish off another pass from Hoxie. Just over a minute later, Briggs struck again on a nearly identical play to put the Mariners up 3-0.

Mitchell took the lead into the halftime intermission and increased the margin in the 59th minute on a goal from sophomore Angie Smith (Meriden, Conn.), who scored off a rebound on a shot by Hoxie. Daniel Webster goalkeeper Amy Waller (Berlin, Mass.) made the save on the initial shot by Hoxie but couldn't hold onto the ball. Smith's goal, her second of the season, would end up being the game winner.

The Eagles cut the deficit back to three on Hurd's second of the season in the 61st, off her own rebound and into an empty net. The Mariners answered right back, as Ehnot notched her second of the game in the 74th minute off a cross from sophomore Shannen Pelletier (Coventry, R.I.).

Despite trailing 5-1, Daniel Webster never stopped fighting and scored twice in the final 10 minutes. Lemire intercepted a low goal kick and scored on a chip over Mitchell goalkeeper Rachel Cunningham (New Hartford, Conn.) in the 84th. Girard then followed with a goal in the 86th off a pass from Lemire, cutting the margin to 5-3.

With four minutes to play in the game, Girard had a chance to pull the Eagles even closer. She took a pass up the left side and, with a defender on her trail, had a one-on-one look against Cunningham from 15 yards out. Girard's left-footed attempt, however, went off the side of her foot and wide of the goal.

Mitchell outshot Daniel Webster 18-11 in the contest. Cunningham finished the day with four saves while Waller made eight.