Brookville, N.Y. - The number-four seeded University of Bridgeport women's soccer team capitalized on a pair of first half defensive miscues by the top-seed and number fourteen ranked in the nation, LIU Post Pioneers, to score two goals on their way to a 3-1 victory over the hosts in one semifinal of the 2014 East Coast Conference Championship Tournament on Wednesday afternoon on Long Island.
The Purple Knights are now 13-3-2 on the season, and LIU Post sees its record move to 14-2-1. UB will now travel to take on the number two seed, the Mercy College Mavericks, in Dobbs Ferry, New York at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, November 7. Mercy reached Friday's conference championship final with a 1-0 home win over the number three seed Dowling College Golden Lions. The winner of Friday's ECC Women's Soccer Championship will receive an automatic bid to the 2014 NCAA Division II Championship Tournament that will begin the following weekend. In 2013, Bridgeport defeated Mercy, 1-0, at home to claim its second-ever East Coast Conference women's soccer crown.
Just 4:20 into play on Wednesday, UB sophomore forward Amanda Moura (Belo Horizonte, Brazil) scored her eighth goal of the year off an assist from senior Danielle Puddefoot (Slough, England) after miscommunication between the LU Post sophomore goalkeeper Hreffie Agnarsdottir and her backline.
Bridgeport would increase its advantage to 2-0 with just under 15 minutes to play in the first half when freshman Sophie Sorkvist (Orebro, Sweden) pounced on a loose ball after Agnarsdottir had trouble with a bounce to tap in her fifth goal of 2014.
With only 1:48 elapsed the second half, the Purple Knights stretched their lead to 3-0 when Moura headed home her second goal of the afternoon and ninth of the year off a rebound from a 20-yard blast by sophomore Tabea Rauschenberger (Muhlacker, Germany).
LIU Post would spoil the UB shutout bid at the 72:34 mark of action when sophomore Sarah McGarry scored off an assist from senior Lauren Bellone.
The Bridgeport defense had a strong match on Wednesday limiting the Pioneers to only six shots for the entire 90 minutes.
Purple Knights' freshman goalkeeper Kaitlin Occhipinti (Islip, N.Y.) was credited with one save on the day, as she raised her season won-loss record to 12-3-1.
Provided by the Bridgeport Sports Information Department.
