Women's Soccer Plays to Senior Day Draw

WESTON, Mass. - Pride freshman Shelagh O'Neil (Tyngsboro, Mass.) tallied her first collegiate goal in the opening half as the Regis (Mass.) women's soccer team played to a 1-1 Senior Day draw against Southern Vermont College on Saturday afternoon.

With the draw, the Pride moves to 9-5-2 on the season, while the Mountaineers move to 8-5-3. With one game remaining each, the teams remain deadlocked in third place in the NECC with identical 5-2-1 conference records.

Prior to the game, the team honored its four graduating players in their final regular season game at Regis Stadium. Seniors Hannah Bouvette (Mattapoisett, Mass.), K.C. Camacho (Arlington, Mass.) and Courtney McWhinnie (Methuen, Mass.), along with graduate student Joana Rosa (Boston, Mass.) were all joined on the field by their friends and families to celebrate the occasion.

The teams appeared destined to go to the halftime break scoreless, before O'Neil opened the scoring in the 38th minute. Fellow rookie Rachel Kelly (Whitman, Mass.) rescued a ball from going over the end line for a goal kick before looping a perfect cross into the box. O'Neil volleyed the ball into the empty net for her first goal of the season, giving the Pride a 1-0 lead, which they took with them into the half.

Southern Vermont refused to go down without a fight, and with just over 20 minutes remaining in regulation, freshman midfielder Danielle Biggers (Bronx, N.Y.) found the equalizer. A mad scramble ensued inside the box after a Mountaineer corner. After multiple bounces that appeared destined for the back of the net, Biggers finally put the definitive boot on the ball, beating Regis keeper Amanda Matias (Ludlow, Mass.) to tie the score.

The Pride had a glorious chance to take the late lead in the 83rd minute, but came away empty. On a free kick from 30 yards out, Pride sophomore defender Jenna Novio (Rockland, Mass.) stunned SVC keeper Melissa Mascari (Saratoga Spring, N.Y.) by going for goal rather than a cross. Novio's long bomb caught the crossbar but stayed out to keep the score level and send the game to extra time.

In the overtime period, it was again the goalkeeper's best friend that came up huge for the Mountaineers. For the second time in just nine minutes, the Pride rang the crossbar, this time off the foot of freshman Noelle Garcia (Los Angeles, Calif.), before the ball ricocheted behind harmlessly for a goal kick. The shot was the only one to be registered in the first overtime period. In the second overtime, the Pride outshot the Mountaineers 3-0, but couldn't find the net, as the game ended in a 1-1 draw.

For Regis, Matias came up with two saves in the tie, while Mascari made three saves for Southern Vermont.

Next up for the Pride, they will conclude their regular season with a road matchup against Newbury College on Wednesday afternoon. For SVC, they will host Bay Path the same day to wrap up their regular season.

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