MIT Wins 2009 NEWMAC Championship; Engineers Defeat Springfield, 1-0

Courtesy of Wellesley College Sports Information

WELLESLEY, Mass. - The third-seeded MIT women's soccer team used an early second-half goal to take home the 2009 New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Tournament Championship. The Engineers (12-5-2) defeated fourth-seeded and defending champion, Springfield College, 1-0, in the contest held on the campus of Wellesley College.

MIT’s victory results in the program’s first appearance at the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament. The complete bracket will be released on Monday, Nov. 9 at http://www.ncaa.com/.

MIT's Alisha Lussiez scored her second game-winning goal in as many days, giving the Engineers their first NEWMAC Championship and their first league title since claiming the NEW 8 crown in 1989. Lussiez was fed a pass from Connie Park and knocked home the championship-winner just 11 minutes into the second half.

Springfield opened up the game with an impressive offensive attack, outshooting MIT, 13-8. However, Engineer goalkeeper Meghan Wright posted nine first half saves to keep the game scoreless.

The Pride had two early chances in the second half saved by Wright before Park and Lussiez hooked up for the MIT goal. After the score, the Cardinal and Gray had another opportunity off the foot of Lussiez, but her 75th-minute shot hit the post and the Engineer advantage remained at 1-0.

Springfield connected for two shots on goal in the final minutes of the game, one from Sue Silva and another from Jackie Moscardelli but Wright saved both and earned her fourth shutout of the season.

The Pride's Hanna MacDougall tallied six saves in the loss, while MIT's Wright finished the game with 14 stops.