MADISON, N.J.- Eastern University Women's Soccer entered this evening's Freedom Conference Match at FDU needing a win or a tie to secure a berth in the upcoming Freedom Conference Playoffs. For a long while, it looked as though the latter result might be in the cards, but senior midfielder Ashley Graybill delivered an 86th minute game-winner to lift the Eagles to the 1-0 win.

The Eagles (9-5-2, 4-1-1) controlled play in the early moments of the game. Though the action of the match was mostly in the midfield, Eastern was able to create several quality scoring chances. In the 13th minute, Michelle Brown got on the end of an Amy Thomas cross, but Anna Bandly, FDU's first-year keeper, was on the spot with a sprawling save on the close range shot. Moments later Kelsey Doutrich fired a shot just over the crossbar after a clever dummy from Kelsey Spoelstra. 

Despite the positive momentum of the opening half, the FDU defense held, and the game remained scoreless.

Though the contest remained largely a midfield battle, the host Devils (6-11, 3-3)  took more of the game in the second half. The Eastern back row had to process five second-half corner kicks. Senior goalkeeper Alysia Goodman, who finished the day with three saves, made several strong plays off her line to limit the danger of those restarts.

Graybill's game-winner started after a positive movement forward from Spoelstra. The sophomore forward hit a shot that rebounded off Bandly to about thirty-five yards from goal. With the defense stepping to press the ball, Graybill attacked forward. Her first move eliminated a pair of defenders and she was able to beat a third before grooving a shot to the lower right corner of the goal. The goal is her second of the year and her second game-winner.

"It was a great effort by Ash," Head Coach Dan Mouw said after the match, "She was determined to earn the box with the dribble and it paid dividends. We had some really good interplay in the first half, but I thought they did a good job pressing the space in the midfield. It is tough on a fast and narrow field like this to go over the top because there just are not that many angles and it is really tough to get a ball to check up. We took advantage of one transition moment and were able to earn the win."

The Eagles were able to hold the Devils without a shot for the final 4:41 of the match. 

The shutout is the seventh of the year for the Eastern defense.

Eastern hosts Salisbury University in a non-league match on Tuesday before concluding Freedom Conference play a week from Saturday against Delaware Valley College. The program will honor its eight seniors prior to the match.

Box Score