Pioneers Fall 10-5 to Monmouth in NEC Title Game
5/7/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
May 7, 2006
-Northeast Conference Release-
WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J.- The Cinderella season of the Monmouth University women's lacrosse team continued on Sunday afternoon as the Hawks downed the Pioneers from Sacred Heart University, 10-5 to capture the 2006 Northeast Conference Championship, the Blue and White's first outright title since 2001. Senior attacker Jeanette Stott (Upper Darby, Pa./Upper Darby) led the charge as she logged seven points with four goals and three assists on the day. Monmouth finishes the 2006 campaign with an unblemished 10-0 mark in the league as Sacred Heart finishes 8-10 overall and 8-2 in the NEC, with their only two losses coming at the hands of the Hawks.
Monmouth started quickly as they took an early 2-0 lead with goals from sophomore Megan Nutter (Moorestown, N.J./Moorestown) and junior Carolyn Raveia (Fairfax, Va./W.T. Woodson) within the first four minutes, but the Pioneers responded with two goals of their own coming from Brianna Bubeck (Bethlehem, N.Y./Bethlehem Central) and Mary Montesarchio (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y./Walter Panas) to knot the game at 2-2 with 23:37 remaining in the first half. Each team traded goals before Stott hit the back of the net with a goal at 12:07 to take a 4-3 into the intermission.
The Blue and White came out of the break firing as Raveia, Stott and junior Katie Degen (Glen Head, N.Y./North Shore) netted goals to take a commanding 7-3 lead with 13:21 remaining in the contest. Junior Heather Gureckis (Nashua, Vt./Nashua) cut the lead to 7-4 with a goal at 13:00, but Raveia and sophomore Ashley Waldman (Oceanport, N.J./Shore Regional) found the back of the net to give the Hawks a five-goal cushion, 9-4 with 7:52 remaining.
Each team netted goals within the final five minutes as Monmouth captured it second-ever title, with the first coming in 2001 when the Blue and White downed UMBC, 14-9.
Freshman goaltender Monica Johnson (Randor, Pa./Archbishop Caroll) was stellar in goal as she allowed just five goals, which ties for the fewest goals allowed in a NEC championship game, while she stopped eight Pioneers' shots.
Stott led the way as the senior logged the second-most points ever in a NEC tournament game, and Raveia netted three goals to lead the Blue and White charge. Five different Pioneers netted goals as Sacred Heart used a balanced attack in the championship game.
Stott captured the NEC Tournament MVP honors as the senior attacker collected five goals and five assists in the two games.
The Hawks will now wait for the NCAA Selection Show which will be broadcast on CSTV tomorrow evening at 8 p.m.
2006 NEC All-Tournament Team
Defender Jen Davison, Mount St. Mary's
Defender Sophia Pantelides, Quinnipiac
Midfielder Kara Cornelius, Quinnipiac
Midfielder Briana Bubeck, Sacred Heart
Midfielder Heather Gureckis, Sacred Heart
Midfielder Katie Degen, Monmouth
Midfielder Ashley Waldman
Attack Casey Paris, Mount St. Mary's
Attack Amanda Williams, Sacred Heart
Attack Carolyn Raveia, Monmouth
Attack Jeanette Stott, Monmouth
Goalie Monica Johnson, Monmouth
Tournament MVP Jeanette Stott, Monmouth
