EC, a Force in the NCAA's

Norton, MA-The women's soccer team had an impressive 2003 season. The team won the Commonwealth Coast Conference Championship, and went undefeated in the CCC. The women made school history when they hosted its first NCAA game. For the first time in the program's history, EC advanced to the 2nd round of the NCAA Tournament by defeating Emmanuel College, and then faced off against Amherst College.

In the first half, EC dominated Amherst, and were able to capitalize in the 39th minute. Freshman Caitlin D'Amario received a pass from sophomore Jillian Zagura and D'Amario hit a perfectly placed ball past the diving Amherst goalkeeper, giving EC the 1-0 lead. With the help of junior forward Leah Walters, EC continued to put pressure on the Amherst defense, during the last five minutes of the first half.

During the second half, play shifted between the two teams, and both sides had their chances. The Gulls held their lead until the 84th minute of play, when Amherst found the back of the net, to tie the score at 1-1, sending the game into overtime. With only a couple of minutes into the first sudden death period, Amherst scored their second goal, ending the game.

EC's midfield played extremely well. Kate Healey, Dana Schutz, Stacey Lubas and Zagura displayed composure and strength during the game. Throughout the entire season, the defense played as a unit. Jessica Scholz, Lauren Suarez, Katie Cederberg and Staci Wiencko all demonstrated their ability to defend as one. In goal and directing the back four was Sarah Nichols, who came up big, and made three saves during the game.

The women had an extremely successful season, boasting an overall record of 18-3-2. The team was ranked regionally, and competed well against nationally ranked teams. EC will lose three players due to graduation. Senior co-captains Kate Healey, Jessica Scholz and Dana Schutz all demonstrated their leadership on and off the field. Their ability to guide their teammates contributed to the successful 2003 season.