BOSTON, Mass. – Junior Tayllar Righini's penalty kick in the bottom of the fifth round snapped a 3-all tie and lifted the seventh-seeded Emerson College team to its first ECAC Division III New England Women's Soccer Championship over fourth seeded University of New England in the championship game played on Wentworth Institute of technology's Sweeney Field. The two teams played to a 2-all tie through 110 minutes of action before heading to the shootout to determine the champion.

 

The Lions end their season with a 12-6-3 record, having tied second-seeded Endicott in the quarterfinals and defeating third-seeded Elms in the semifinals before completing the string of upsets with the tie and shootout victory today. The Nor'Easters, who fell in last year's title game on penalty kicks, finish their season at 13-7-1.

 

UNE jumped on the board early when junior Devon Wolfenden (East Longmeadow, Mass.) headed in a cross along the left side from junior Anna Michaud (Hampden, Maine) at 2:48. The play was initially set up when junior Taylor Littlefield (Sanford, Maine) served a corner kick from the right flag which was played to the far side before Michaud gained possession.

 

The Nor'Easters doubled their lead with 6:19 left in the half when junior Brionne Turcotte (Goffstown, N.H.) served a corner kicks form the right flag where freshman Tate Paul (Whitby, Ont.) headed it in. UNE had an 8-4 shot advantage at the break.

 

Emerson cut the lead to 2-1 at 61:09 when junior Natalie Benjamin slid a pass in front to freshman Jess Frost. Frost's shot appeared to be going high, however it hit the crossbar and came down over the line.

 

Just 4:18 later the Lions got the equalizer when senior Alyssa Giannone had a direct kick from the top of the box. The kick went towards the net where Frost knocked it down and put a shot past junior Brielle Robinson (Monson, Mass.).

 

Both teams would have chances throughout the remainder of regulation and in both overtimes, however neither would break the stalemate and the game would officially end in a 2-all tie.

 

Freshman Harley Chute (Salem, N.H.) stepped to the line first for the Nor'Easters in the shootout and her bid was denied by junior keeper Melanie Escobar. Frost would give the Lions a 1-0 lead when her attempt snuck inside the lower left side. Littlefield's shot was saved by Escobar and freshman Paige Haley gave the Lions a 2-0 lead when she buried a shot to the right side.

 

Senior Jackie Dickerson (Windham, N.H.) put the Nor'Easters on the board when she put a shot to the top middle to open the third round and senior Christine White made it 3-1 when she put home a shot to the right side.

 

In the fourth round, UNE sophomore Hanna Sihler (Killington, Vt.) put home a shot to the left side to make it 3-2 and Robinson turned away a bid by junior Mindy Labayen to keep the shootout going. Sophomore Edie Pallozzi (Windham, Maine) tie the shootout at 3-all when she scored in the top of the fifth round which set up Righini's heroics in the bottom of the fifth round.

 

Escobar, who was named the game's most outstanding player, made 10 saves while Robinson stopped four shots. UNE had a 19-11 shot advantage and a 7-3 edge on corner kicks.