Women’s Soccer Falls 2-0 in Regular Season Finale at Harford, Clinches Playoff Spot

Thursday, October 22

West Hartford, Conn.

6 PM

University of New Hampshire

6-9-3, 4-4-0AE

University of Hartford

10-2-4, 4-0-3AE

UNH

HARTFORD

Photo by: Greg Greene

Women’s Soccer Falls 2-0 in Regular Season Finale at Harford, Clinches Playoff Spot

10/22/2015 8:55:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

WEST HARTFORD, CONN. – The University of New Hampshire women's soccer team dropped its regular season finale, 2-0, to the University of Hartford at Al-Marzook Field, but clinched an America East Championships spot Thursday night.

The Wildcats finished the regular season with a loss but won big when the University of Maryland, Baltimore County fell 1-0 to Binghamton University, punching UNH's ticket to the playoffs.

The defending America East champions concluded the regular season with an overall record of 6-9-3 and a 4-4-0 record in conference. Hartford clinched a home playoff game, improving its record to 10-2-4 and 4-0-3 in the league.

Sophomore Brooke Murphy (Monson, Mass.) recorded five shots to lead the 'Cats. Classmate Nikki Sloan (Stow, Mass.) rifled two shots on net in her third consecutive start. Junior Mimi Borkan (Medfield, Mass.) made two saves in net as her 2015 regular-season record stands at 6-9-3 overall.

UNH played a balanced first half offensively and defensively as it held a 4-1 shot advantage after the first period. Neither goalie made a save in the first half and defenses did most of the work.

The Hawks brought the pressure in the second half. UNH was called for a foul in the box and freshman Julia Carr stepped up and buried the chance, for her fifth goal of the season, in the 51^st minute.

The Wildcat's senior Gabrielle Sloan (Stow, Mass.) and Murphy looked to ignite the offense when the two took back-to-back shot attempts in the 56^th and 62^nd minutes, respectively, that the Hawk's goalkeeper Jessica Jurg had to stop.

Carr tallied her second of the game in the 64^th minute when a second penalty kick was called on a Wildcat hand ball in the box. Carr placed the kick in the back of the net to take a 2-0 lead.

Senior Caroline Murray (New Canaan, Conn.) placed a corner kick in the box with 11:39 remaining which classmate Kirsten O'Neil (Hampton, N.H.) headed toward net, but the attempt was blocked by the Hawk defense and controlled.

Carr recorded both goals unassisted to lead the Hawks offense. Goaltender Jurg made two saves in net for her league-leading eighth shutout of the season.

New Hampshire has a bye on the final day of competition (Oct. 25) of the regular season. The America East Championships begin Thursday, Oct. 29 for the quarterfinals at the highest-seeded team's site. The top-two teams in the conference receives a bye for the first round of the tournament and will host the semifinals Sunday, Nov. 1 before the finals are played at the highest remaining seed Saturday, Nov. 7.

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