Soccer Finishes as ECAC Runner-up

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – LeeAnn Card (Paxton, Mass.) and Becca Gustine (East Hampton, Conn.) scored second-half goals as third-seeded Endicott College defeated No. 1 University of Saint Joseph 2-0 Sunday to win the ECAC Tournament Championship game at Saint Joseph.

Endicott (14-5-4) won its first ECAC Tournament. Freshman Paige Marinelli (Burlington, Conn.) was named the Tournament's Most Outstanding Player.

"Congratulations to Endicott and their coaching staff," Saint Joseph coach Chris LeGates said. "We learned a good lesson today from a very good team and my hope is that we can get to the level that Endicott is at with seven consecutive post-season appearances including the NCAAs. We saw what their experience was able to do for them in a big game today."

The Blue Jays finished the most successful season in school history. USJ won a school-record 16 games (16-3-2), won its first GNAC regular-season title, had a school-record 13-match unbeaten streak that lasted seven weeks and was ranked in the NSCAA coaches' poll for the first time, peaking at No. 10 in New England.

"Our season was phenomenal," LeGates said. "To win the GNAC regular-season, being the No. 1 seed in the ECAC and to host this final today are just tremendous accomplishments for the program. I'm proud of each and every person associated with the program; players, coaches, trainers and the whole athletic staff here at Saint Joseph."

Endicott outshot Saint Joseph 5-4 in an evenly-contested first half that resulted in no goals for either side. Endicott broke through 18:28 into the second half when Card headed in a corner kick from Marinelli that bounced off the far post and in. Gustine got the other goal for the Gulls with 16:44 left on a blast from the top of the box.

Endicott outshot Saint Joseph for the game, 14-6 and took 10 corner kicks to none for USJ. Melissa Dodge (Watertown, Conn.) made nine saves for Saint Joseph and Endicott keeper Katie Donnelly (Madison, Conn.) made six saves for Endicott.