Women's Soccer To Play Eastern Connecticut In Opening Round of NCAA Tournament

2010 NCAA Division III Women's Tournament Bracket

Worcester, MA --- The Worcester State women's soccer team, making its fifth-ever NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Tournament appearance, has drawn Eastern Connecticut State University as their first-round opponent. The two squads will do battle on Saturday, November 13 at 12 PM.

The winner of the matchup of the Lancers and the Warriors will play the victor of the other first-round regional game that features Wheaton College and Mitchell College. That contest is slated to start 30 minutes after the conclusion of the day's opening contest. ECSU will host the first two rounds of the tournament.

The Blue and Gold enter the NCAA Tournament with a 10-5-4 record under third-year head coach Kevin Cumberbatch. The squad received the MASCAC's automatic bid to play in the tournament by virtue of a 1-0 triumph over Bridgewater State University in Saturday's championship game.

Worcester State made four straight NCAA appearances from 2004 to 2007. In 2007, the Lancers defeated William Smith and Union to advance to the Sweet 16 before they were handed a 2-1 setback in double-overtime to Western Connecticut.

Junior Danielle Clifford (Attleboro, MA) leads the Lancers in scoring with five goals and five assists to her credit for a team-high total of 15 points. Clifford was selected the MVP of the MASCAC Tournament after she netted a goal in WSU's first-round win against Westfield State and the lone tally in their triumph against the Bears in the title match.

Senior Sarah Connors (Gardner, MA) has a squad-best six goals with two assists for 14 points while freshman Gaby Gonet (Agawam, MA) has four markers and three helpers to her credit for 11 points, which is third on the team. Third-year Nikki Scott(Berlin, MA) helps anchor a defense that currently has the second-best goals against average in the MASCAC (1.10).

Eastern Connecticut is currently ranked eighth in the latest NSCAA poll as they carried the a #1 NCAA regional ranking in New England last week. The Warriors, who bring an unbeaten record of 15-0-4 into the contest, drew to a 1-1 tie against UMass Boston in the Little East semifinals last Thursday as the Beacons advanced to the championship game on penalty kicks, 3-1.

ECSU is also making their fifth apperance in the NCAA Tournament as they also earned spots in the bracket in 1989, 2003, 2005 and in 2009. Last season, the Warriors won the Little East Championship before they were handed a 3-0 setback by Amherst in last year's opening round of the tournament.

Sophomore Taylor Buchanan (Ellington, CT) leads the charge for Eastern Connecticut as she has a squad-best 13 goals (five game-winners) and two assists for a total of 28 points. Second-year Kelly Wallace (South Windsor, CT) is also a factor with five goals, four for match-clinchers.

Junior keeper Teresa Pagnozzi (Waterford, CT) has also impressed with a 12-0-3 record. Pagnozzi has an eye-popping 0.50 goals against average as she has only allowed seven tallies to come through the pipes this season.