Hartford Women’s Soccer Clinches 1-Seed in CNE Playoffs with Win over Gordon College

The Hartford Hawks Women’s Soccer team will host a home semi-final in the Conference of New England Playoffs as a result of their 3-0 win over the Gordon Fighting Scots on Tuesday. The Hawks were led by reigning CNE “Player of the Week” Christina Stone, who was a pivotal playmaker on all three goals in the game.

The Hawks got up to a hot start in Tuesday’s action, as a through-ball from Christina Stone found forward Kathleen Brush, who sent a low-shot that went through the hands of Gordon Fighting Scots goalkeeper Emily Bengston, and gave Hartford an 1-0 lead in the 12th minute.

Six minutes later,  it was Christina Stone again, this time from the corner, whose cross into the box fell right to midfielder Reese Sadler for the tap-in, doubling the Hawks lead to 2-0 six minutes later.

That would be the end of the action in the first half, as the Hawks entered the second half with a 2-0 lead.

The Fighting Scots were unable to crack through the Hartford defense, as the backline of Andrea Buzas, Lindsey Metcalfe, May Cervone, and Julianna Chiarella stood tall against a Gordon attack that had scored 37 goals entering the game. Gordon’s scoring leader Eowyn Lapp (16 Goals) was held without a shot in the contest, and Ava Forbes-Smith (8 Goals) was unable to make the difference with her two shots on target, as Sejal Johnson was able to make the saves and keep a clean sheet.

Not satisfied with 2, Hawks all-time leading goal scorer Imani Jenkins added onto her record with her 22nd goal of the season, bringing her career total to 75, and giving the Hawks a 3-0 lead, a scoreline that would hold as the final result of the game.

The Hawks improved to 7-1-1 in Conference of New England Play, and now stand at the top of the table with no other team in the CNE able to knock them down.

CONFERENCE OF NEW ENGLAND STANDINGS  
Team Conference Record Points
University of Hartford 7-1-1 22
University of New England 6-2-1 19
Gordon College 5-1-3 18
Endicott College 5-2-2 17
Western New England 5-2-2 17
Roger Williams University 2-2-4 10
Suffolk University 1-3-4 7
Curry College 1-5-2 5
Wentworth Institute of Technology 1-6-1 4
Nichols College 0-9 0

The Hawks will await the winner of a crowded field, with possible semi-final opponents including Gordon College, Wentworth Institute of Technology, and Western New England University. The game is expected to take place on November 5th at 5:00 PM, and the opponent to be announced.