GCU Explodes for 4 Second-Half Goals to Capture 2017 CACC WSOC Championship
OFFICIAL PHOTO GALLERY OF 2017 CACC SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIPS
LAKEWOOD, N.J. (November 5, 2017) -- Heather Arbachesky struck home a pair of goals, including the match-winner, to spark a four-goal second half for the Georgian Court University women's soccer team in its 4-1 win over Wilmington University in Sunday's 2017 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Championship Final at the GCU Turf Field in Lakewood, N.J.
The win not only propelled the Lions to the conference title, but also enabled them to capture the CACC's automatic bid to next week's NCAA Division II East Region Tournament at a site to be determined. The win also erased the pain of last season's setback in the CACC Final, as GCU was making its second-consecutive appearance in the league championship.
Arbachesky had a couple unlucky breaks in the first half, as she had a couple nice scoring opportunities, but either WilmU keeper Kierstyn Williams made a top-notch save, or a shot went wide. As she walked off the field late in the first half following a substitution, her coach Jim Moore encouraged her to shake off the unlucky breaks and keep her head in the game.
The coach knew what he was talking about and his student-athlete listened.
It didn't take long into the second half for Arbachesky to snap the scoreless tie, as she headed home a shot in the 49th minute off a pass from Rosa Franze to give GCU a 1-0 advantage. The Lions continued pushing the pace for the next several minutes and a hand ball in the Wilmington box enabled Arbachesky to strike on a penalty kick goal in the 75th to make it 2-0, as that goal would prove to be the match-clincher. The two markers and eight shots in the match enabled Arbachesky to lock up the championship's most valuable player award.
Georgian Court tacked on two more tallies in the 81st and 85th minutes courtesy of Dana Fontana to put the match out of reach. Wilmington did get a late marker from La'Dae Boykin.
Natalie Axelsson stopped seven of eight shots faced to earn the win in net for Georgian Court, while Williams made six saves on 10 shots faced in the tough setback. Both goalies made some strong saves in the match and both also got some luck in the opening 45 minutes. GCU appeared to go up 1-0 early in the match, but a shot rang off the crossbar. Wilmington then also made it 1-0 a few minutes later, but a shot clanged off the post to keep the match scoreless.
2017 CACC WOMEN'S SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Fenna Maarse (Post University)
Dena Noiseux (Jefferson)
Alanna Speaks (Goldey-Beacom College)
Clionna Crammond (Goldey-Beacom College)
Brianna Rock (Holy Family University)
Emily Camp (Holy Family University)
Jessica Unsihuay (Wilmington University)
Melissa Gall (Wilmington University)
Loran Wyrough (Wilmington University)
Meagan Murdocco (Georgian Court University)
Anissia Fucci (Georgian Court University)
Kaitlin Lister (Georgian Court University)
Heather Arbachesky (Georgian Court University)
Natalie Axelsson (Georgian Court University)
MVP: Heather Arbachesky (Georgian Court University)
ABOUT THE CACC
The Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference is an NCAA Division II Conference composed of 14 institutions in Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. The member institutions are Bloomfield College, Caldwell University, Chestnut Hill College, Concordia (N.Y.) College, Dominican (N.Y.) College, Felician University, Georgian Court University, Goldey-Beacom College, Holy Family University, Jefferson (Philadelphia University + Thomas Jefferson University), Nyack College, Post University of Waterbury, University of the Sciences, and Wilmington University.