Nov. 3, 2005

Follow the game LIVE on Gametracker at the NEC Tournament Headquarters

The Sacred Heart women's soccer team is set to renew acquaintance once again with Central Connecticut State University as the two team's face-off for the fourth-straight season in the Northeast Conference Tournament Friday morning. The Pioneers are out to end the Blue Devils three-year reign as league champs and claim their first title since the 2001 season.

"As a team, we are fired up to play them again," stated head coach Kim Banner. "We came up short the first time we played this season."

"We have felt we have had the better team in the past but seem to come up just short each time we have played them, a goal here, penalty kicks there," commented the coach. "It's time to prove that we are the better team and that we want it more then they do."

The Pioneers rounded out the regular season last weekend, needing a win to qualify for the tournament. SHU headed to Wagner and got just that, a 4-1 win and a spot in this year's tournament field. The Pioneers have now qualified for five consecutive postseason tournaments, the longest active streak in the conference.

Under Banner, the Pioneer's first-year head coach, the Sacred Heart offensive attack kicked into high gear this season. The Pioneers were the second highest scoring team in the league over the course of the regular season, averaging 1.72 goals per game.

The SHU offensive attack is guided by a trio of seniors, forwards Erica Rico (Cranston, RI) and Katie Leahy (Warwick, RI) and midfielder Orlagh Cullen (Offlay, Ireland). Rico is second on the circuit in scoring (20 points) and goals (eight), and is often the beneficiary of feeds from classmate Cullen, who paces the conference with 10 assists. Leahy has made all of her seven goals count this season, burying five game-winners over the course of the year.

Added to the mix is a pair of juniors who have found the back of the net on many occasions this year. Junior midfielder Lisa Burbige (Babylon, NY) has six goals and 16 points on the season while also serving as one of the team's captains. Fellow midfielder Leslie Morales (Cortlandt Manor, NY) came on strong at the end of the season, scoring four goals in the last four games to finish the year with 11 points (5g, 1a). Defensively, the Pioneers are led by a solid back in front of goalkeeper Ashley Mocarski (Stratford, CT). Sophomores Alyssa Long (Smithfield, RI) and Allison Rojas (Manorville, NY) along with freshman Megan Wosleger (Rockville Center, NY) and Janice Rodriguez (Clinton, CT) make up the SHU defensive backfield. Mocarski owns an 8-7-1 record this year along with a 1.35 goals against average, 56 saves and four shutouts.

If the Pioneers are to claim their second league title, the will have to start by snapping a string of seven straight losses to the Blue Devils. The last win by SHU in the series dates back to 2001, a 3-0 win at home. Central posted a 2-1 win over SHU earlier this year on Campus Field. The Pioneers held an early 1-0 second half lead but came up just short.

Sacred Heart has never won on Central's field, losing four times in New Britain. The two teams met in the championship game the last two seasons, both games ending with Central winning on penalty kicks. CCSU and SHU faced off in the 2002 NEC Tournament semifinals with Central winning 1-0 on their home field.

History matters not to this bunch of Pioneers and their first-year head coach. "Our team believes they can win," said Banner. "And if we believe it, we can do it."