DALLAS, Pa.- Eastern University Women's Soccer bested top-seeded Misericordia University 3-0 to win the Freedom Conference Championship for the third time in four years. The Eagles scored three times in the first half to seize control of the match.
The first 20 minutes of the match saw a fairly even match with Misericordia's junior tandem of Sam Helmstetter and Laura Roney had four shots in the opening portion, but each was a contested effort and was either turned away by Alysia Goodman or floated high.
Eastern's forays into the Misericordia end proved fruitless as well until Cara Dembrosky intercepted a pass on the defensive side of midfield and filtered a ball forward to Ashley Graybill. Graybill, who saw very limited minutes due to an injury in the first meeting between the two teams this year, slid a pass into space for Alli Inch in the midfield circle. Inch rolled a pass wide right to an overlapping Katie Ruth who cut central and played a ball into Charlotte Laurie's feet just inside the box. Laurie dropped a tight little pass backwards to Inch. Inch, who earned Championship MVP honors left nothing to chance as her shot went into the upper left corner.
"That goal is a game-changer for us," Head Coach Dan Mouw said afterwards. "We have great confidence in our defense and back line, and to put together a combination like that to grab a lead really seemed to give us confidence. Alli has been playing really well, and to see her drive to the net on that play and get rewarded is a great thing."
Up a goal, the Eagles kept things tight in the back, but looked to get forward at appropriate times. Just over seven minutes after breaking into the scoring column, the Eagles doubled their advantage on a Kelsey Doutrich goal.
Ruth played a critical role in the play with a high angled serve from her right back position to Tess Beckwith. Beckwith skimmed a header between two Cougar defenders. Both seemed to get a foot to the ball, but Doutrich slipped between them and ripped a low shot to the left corner for her team-best 17th goal of the year. The junior midfielder has scored in 12 straight contests and 13 of 14 since returning from and injury that kept her out of three games early in the year.
Eastern added a third goal late in the half on a corner kick goal. Amy Thomas flicked a header to the back post that Emily Roquemore volleyed home for her second goal of the year.
"I think we knew that we could score," Mouw said, "but we were all a little surprised that we picked up three in the first half. With our back line, goalkeeper, and defensive midfielders playing as well as they have all year, we felt very good at the break."
This year, the Eagles have only allowed one team, No. 1 Messiah, to score twice in regulation. Misericordia and Elizabethtown both scored overtime goals in 2-1 results.
After the break, the Eagles worked to keep the shutout and look for counter chances. With that strategy, Eastern actually built a 9-6 advantage in shots and 4-1 edge in corners in the second half.
Goodman finished the match with seven saves to pick up her 10th shutout of the year. Her goals against average drops to .63.
"This senior class is a special group," Mouw said, "and I am very pleased that they are going to have another chance at the NCAA Tournament."
The Eagles are 5-3 in three appearances in the NCAA Tournament. In addition to winning Freedom Conference Championships in 2008 & 2009, they won the final PAC Championship in 2007.
Misericordia, who entered action today ranked third in the region will look to receive an at large bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Times and locations for the first and second round will be announced on NCAA.com at 1:30 Monday. That information will be made available through goeasterneagles.com shortly thereafter.
Box Score
