By Matthew MacCormack, news correspondent
With a 1-0 victory over Drexel University on Sunday, the Northeastern women’s soccer team captured its first regular season conference title since 2009.
The women entered the weekend needing just one win to clinch the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) crown, but they faced a tough set of visitors in the University of Delaware and the Drexel Dragons. There was plenty on the line as the Huskies entered the weekend at Parsons Field. If they grabbed the top spot in the CAA, Northeastern would not only clinch a spot in the conference semi-finals, but also home-field advantage throughout the competition.
With such high stakes, there were certainly some jitters amongst the Black and Red entering Friday evening’s bout with the Delaware Blue Hens.
“We always have some really, really epic games with [Delaware],” Head Coach Tracey Leone said. “They’re such a good team and they’re so dangerous.”
And on Friday, all it took was nine minutes for the Blue Hens to show just how much of a threat they were. Delaware sophomore forward Natalie Zelenky found the back of the net just nine minutes into the game, putting her team up 1-0. The Blue Hens wouldn’t register another shot in the first 45 minutes.
After Zelenky’s stunner, the Huskies picked up the momentum for the rest of the half, maintaining offensive pressure and earning a total of six corners in the first frame. On the fourth corner, senior center back Bianca Calderone found junior striker Shayna Blackwood, who converted a headed equalizer in the 35th minute. The two teams headed into the second half knotted at 1.
Although the Huskies dominated play in the second period, it was the Blue Hens who broke the tie in the 79th minute.
Zelenky assisted senior forward Rachel Vaccaro on a breakaway goal that gave Delaware a late 2-1 advantage.
Rather than losing momentum, however, NU charged on. After minutes of relentless pressure, the Huskies finally grabbed their second equalizer with five minutes to play. Senior forward Lahaina Zoller found freshman midfielder Hannah Lopiccolo at the top of the box, and Lopiccolo unleashed a back-post strike that found the netting and forced overtime.
Despite a few chances, neither side would score in the two sudden-death periods, and the final whistle blew with a 2-2 scoreline. Although the team played well, Leone believes that the added pressure of clinching the conference may have weighed on the players.
“I think our team really showed a lot of resolve coming back twice from being down a goal,” she said. “[But] sometimes what happens is you put added stress and added pressure on yourself, and…we felt that a little bit.”
After allowing only four goals all season, the Huskies let Delaware notch two in the Friday night battle. Nonetheless, the girls headed confidently into their Sunday showdown against Drexel, still needing a win to secure the top spot in the conference.
Just in case the Huskies didn’t have enough motivation, Sunday was also Senior Day for NU with the squad’s seven elder team members playing their final regular season games at Parsons Field.
Keeper Paige Burnett, defenders Awnalisa Walker, Calderone and Amy Steele, midfielders Maria Lanyi and Kelsey McCarthy and Zoller were all prepared to make their day special.
This time out, things came much more easily for the Huskies. After a slight slip-up three days earlier, the Husky defense stifled the Dragons and did not allow a shot on goal. Northeastern owned possession all game, earning eight corner kicks and firing four shots on frame.
The clincher came in the 61st minute when freshman striker Kayla Cappuzzo sprinted down the right wing, pulling the Husky defense her way. Blackwood made a run behind the Drexel back line, and Cappuzzo slid a perfect ball over to the junior who scored with ease.
The goal put the Huskies on top for good, 1-0, and represented Blackwood’s third score in as many contests.
After the convincing victory, there was plenty of jubilation in the Husky camp.
By clinching the CAA regular season championship, the women earned an extra week of rest and will not play again until the conference semi-finals on Nov. 7. On top of that, the team will stay on its home turf for the tournament.
Now, with only two wins standing between the Huskies and their second consecutive automatic NCAA tournament berth, the team must draw on the experience gained from last season’s finals run. While the squad knows it won’t be easy, there’s no reason to believe NU can’t be victorious again.
“To win the regular season, to host and to be able to play here at home is such an honor for us and we’re really excited,” Leone said. “We know whoever we’re gonna meet is going to be a challenge. But we’re happy to be in this position right now.”
Photo courtesy Kariman Abuljadayel
