Box Score

ALBANY – The College of Saint Rose avenged its lone loss of the year by breaking open a 2-1 game at halftime with two strikes in the initial five minutes of the second stanza to capture its fifth consecutive Northeast-10 Conference Championship with a 5-1 victory against Merrimack today at Sullivan Field at the Plumeri Sports Complex.

The Golden Knights (19-1-1) thus furthered their growing legacy by joining the Warriors (16-3-1) and Franklin Pierce as the only three schools in league history (1981) to claim five titles. Saint Rose thus garnered an automatic berth to the upcoming 2011 NCAA Tournament, although Merrimack is expected to be extended an invitation as well. The bracket is scheduled to be announced tomorrow on www.ncaa.com at 7:00 pm.

Saint Rose, ranked 15th in the most recent NSCAA/Continental Tire Division II Poll, dominated the pace of play throughout the second half today by outshooting the 14th ranked Warriors by a 15-0 margin and generating eight corner kicks, while giving up just one during that span. However, Merrimack had to play one down during the final 71 minutes after junior back Krista Fazio was red-carded for handing a ball that appeared directed on goal.

The 2011 NE-10 Player of the Year, senior midfielder Christina Cuffari lived up to her billing by scoring two goals to pace the Golden Knights who had six different players figure in the scoring column. Cuffari put Saint Rose up 1-0 with 2:48 elapsed when she dribbled up the right flank and let go a shot from 20-yards away that sailed inside the far-side post. She then delivered the game-winner by converting a penalty kick top-right.

However, the match had the makings of a close battle throughout the first half as sophomore forward Danielle Dion redirected a cross from freshman forward Katie Bresciani with a header that squared things at 1-1 just two minutes before Cuffari's PK.

The Golden Knights never looked back though after senior forward Gianna D'Errico knocked home a rebound off a shot from Tournament Most Outstanding Player and senior midfielder Brittany Godin at the 45:58 mark. Senior midfielder Kimberly Morton then finished a cross off the left flank from sophomore forward Carmelina Puopolo four minutes later to leave little doubt about the eventual outcome. Sophomore midfielder Allison Schmidt eventually added the finishing touches with her second marker of the year in the 68th minute.

As for Merrimack, senior keeper Kiley Horne was spectacular between the posts. She came up with 15 saves throughout the afternoon, including nine in the second half alone, to prevent the match from becoming more one-sided.

ALL TOURNAMENT TEAM:
Sarah Hickey (Stonehill)
Ariel Teixeira (Southern New Hampshire)
Kara Hennigan (Merrimack)
Laura Spang (Merrimack)
Kimberly Morton (Saint Rose)
Christina Cuffari (Saint Rose)
Brittany Godin (Saint Rose)
MOP: Godin (Saint Rose)

MEDIA NOTE: The Saint Rose women's soccer team will gather tomorrow at the Touhey Forum in the Lally School of Education off of Madison Avenue to view the NCAA Tournament selection show. Members of the media are invited to attend that event.