Women's Soccer to Play Arcadia in NCAA Division III Tournament

Posted: Nov 07, 2016

Official Release | Interactive Bracket | Digital Game Program

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – After capturing the 2016 Commonwealth Coast Conference Championship for the first time in program history, the Wentworth Institute of Technology women's soccer team has earned the conference's automatic bid into the 2016 NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Tournament, which begins on either Friday, Nov. 11, or Saturday, Nov. 12, at 16 sites across the country, including at Williams College which is where the Leopards will play their first-round game, which is slated for Saturday at 1:30 p.m.

One of 43 automatic bids into the tournament, Wentworth (15-3-3) is making its first trip to the "big dance" where the Leopards will play Arcadia University (17-3-0), which received one of 20 at-large bids and is making its fourth tournament appearance overall and first since 2005. The Knights, who are ranked nationally in both the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (No. 21) and D3Soccer.com (No. 23) polls, lost in the finals of the MAC Commonwealth Tournament to top-ranked Messiah. The other game in the "Williams Pod" features the host Ephs (15-0-2), the defending national champions, who made the tournament as an at-large team, facing Elms College (18-3-1), which won the New England Collegiate Conference.

Wentworth is presently riding a three-game win streak and seven-game unbeaten streak (6-0-1) and have not given up a goal in the last 471:46. During the seven-game unbeaten streak the Black & Gold are outscoring opponents by a 22-2 margin.

Offensively, junior Emily Richard leads the way with 28 points which includes a program-record 14 assists to go along with seven assists. Freshman Sidney Brogan and senior Amanda Weinberger have each scored three goals and added three assists for 21 points. Junior Ali Leach – who notched the game-winning goal in the CCC semifinal win over Endicott and repeated the accomplishment in the title game against Gordon, had six goals and four assists for 16 points. Richard was the CCC Offensive Player of the Year and Brogan was the CCC Rookie of the Year. Both were also named All-CCC along with Weinberger and senior Mary Annon.

While the offense has scored 57 goals in 21 games, the Leopards' defense has been just as solid with a stingy 0.60 goals against average which includes a program-record 13 clean sheets. Patrolling the midfield has been four-time All-CCC selection senior Morgan Miller, who shows her versatility by also recording 11 points this season. Sophomore Madyson Reno, senior Rachel Perras and two-time CCC Defensive Player of the Year Mary Pastorelli anchor a strong defense which has limited opponents to less than 10 shots per game. Two-time All-CCC selection Micaela Robinson has been solid in net for Wentworth, recording a 10-2-3 record with a 0.34 goals against average, .912 save percentage, and nine solo shutouts, which ties the program's single-season record.

The present seven-game unbeaten streak is the longest of the season, eclipsing a six-game unbeaten streak from Sept. 21 until Oct. 12. Wentworth began the season with a 4-0 record for the second straight season before going 0-2-2. The Leopards' three losses on the season have each been by a single goal, including dropping two games to nationally ranked foes.

Four of Wentworth's opponents from this season are also making an appearance in the tournament in Brandeis, Amherst, Western Connecticut, and WPI.

This will be the first-ever meeting between the two programs. Both teams were ranked in the final regional polls. Wentworth was ninth in the National Soccer Coaches' Association of America Division III New England Poll and 10th in the final set of NCAA New England rankings while, in addition to being nationally ranked, Arcadia was fourth in the NSCAA Mid-Atlantic Poll and sixth in the final set of NCAA Mid-Atlantic rankings.