Penalty Strokes Send Gulls to CCC Title Game
Nov. 1, 2006
BEVERLY, MA - Ashley Meunier (Hartland, VT/Kimball Union) and Shannon Crotty (Delmar, NY/Bethleham Central) converted on their second penalty stroke attempts to lift the Gulls over Salve Regina and send the Endicott field hockey team to the Commonwealth Coast Conference title game.
The Gulls and Seahawks played to a scoreless tie at the end of regulation, two overtimes and one round of penalty strokes before Meunier and Crotty's successful strokes brought an end to a thrilling CCC semifinal game.
The scoreless draw was not for a lack of offense as both teams had plenty of chances with Salve Regina getting 10 shots in regulation and the Gulls recording nine. The scoreboard would read zeros for the games entirety mainly because of the phenomenal play of both goalkeepers.
Salve net minder Devin Eppley (Darien, CT/Darien) made eight saves in regulation and only got better as the game wore on, stopping an additional seven in overtime. Not to be outdone, EC goalie Erin Curry (Hampstead, NH/Gould Academy) made 10 saves in regulation and kept EC's championship hopes alive with a sprawling stick save on the Seahawks final shooter in the first round of strokes.
The thrilling win sends Endicott back to the CCC Championship game after the Gulls were eliminated in last years semifinal round. The Gulls will once again face off against New England College, who knocked Endicott out of the tournament last year. EC will be playing in its fifth conference championship in the last six years and its first under head coach Breanne Wojnarowicz.
The defending champion Pilgrims defeated fifth seeded Nichols College to return to the title game. NEC will host Endicott on Saturday afternoon in a one versus two seed match up for the CCC Title and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Fans are encouraged to check ecgulls.com for the start time of that game.