BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (Nov. 14, 2008) - Freshman midfielder Katie Stanley (Oxford, England) scored her fifth goal of the season with 17 seconds remaining in the first half as the University of Bridgeport held off Merrimack College, 1-0, in the first round of the NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Regional Friday afternoon on Robert Blitz Field.

Bridgeport advances to the Third Round of the tournament and will face top-seeded host C.W. Post on Sunday at 1 p.m.   The win improves to 17-4-1, matching its program record of wins from 2006.  Merrimack ends its season with an overall record of 12-5-2.

"They're a different team than we've played in the past and we had to do some preparation," remarked Bridgeport head coach Magnus Nilerud following the game.  "It was a tough and physical game."

Stanley's goal was scored when she blasted a 25-yard shot that took a high bounce past Merrimack's keeper on a cross from junior forward Sofia Hoflin (Ostersund, Sweden) at 44:43.

Bridgeport outshot Merrimack by a 20-16 count, including seven shots on goal.  Merrimack goalkeeper Shannon Rowan (Fair Haven, N.J.) made six stops in goal while Bridgeport's Elina Yietyinen (Lulea, Sweden) stopped three shots.

Stanley remarked about the goal, "The last minute was a quick battle from natural play and it felt like something would come from it."

Added Hoflin, "We didn't get a lucky goal, but was special."

Moments before Bridgeport's goal, the visiting Warriors almost took a 1-0 lead when junior forward Gabrielle Gamprey (Brockton, Mass.) had an open-shot that went high and wide beyond the net.