BOXSCORE |
CUMULATIVE STATSBROCKPORT, N.Y. -- Tournament MVP Kelly Finn netted the game-winning goal in the first half Sunday to lift third-seeded and visiting Nazareth to a 1-0 women's soccer triumph over top-seeded Brockport in the championship game of the ECAC Upstate Tournament.
Nazareth recorded its third straight shutout win in the tournament to claim its second ECAC championship in the last three seasons. The Golden Flyers finished the season at 14-6-2 and also blanked Keuka, 7-0, and Fredonia, 1-0 (ot), earlier in the tournament.
"It's a nice achievement," said Nazareth Coach
Gail Mann. "Our defense was organized the whole time and played well collectively. Our goalie (freshman Hillary Simon) was never really tested."
Finn, who also scored the game-winner early in overtime in Saturday's win over Fredonia, scored her team-leading 13th goal of the season early in the first half as she one-timed a pass from Caroline Parsons from the top of the 18-yard box, drilling a high shot into the upper left corner of the goal.
Simon needed to make just three saves and picked up her third straight shutout and eighth of the season. Nazareth had a 16-8 edge in shots and was able to avenge a regular-season defeat at Brockport, which finished the season at 17-4-1 overall.
Nazareth also had two apparent goals called back. Parsons had a goal called back in the first half on an offside violation and a header by freshman Erica Conte in the second half was disallowed due to a foul. In addition, a shot in the second half by Nazareth's Rachel Cushman deflected off the crossbar.
"We played well enough to win by more," Mann said, "but we'll take a 1-0 win any day."