NOVEMBER 8, 2013

KING'S WOMEN'S SOCCER TO FACE DEFENDING CHAMPION MISERICORDIA IN FREEDOM CONFERENCE TITLE GAME

DIRECTIONS TO MISERICORDIA - Note; Misericordia is hoting a 1 PM foottball game, parkingmay be limited

WILKES-BARRE — Since it joined the Middle Atlantic Conferences in 1993, the King's College women's soccer team had never qualified for post-season tournament play. On Saturday the Lady Monarchs will attempt to win its first championship in program history when King's travels to face Misericordia University in the Freedom Conference title game slated for 5:00 p.m. at Manglesdorf Field in Dallas.

Tickets are set at $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, $2 for students while children under age six are free.

Follow the games online at the following links:

Live Video:   http://mac.ezstream.com/

LiveStats:   http://www.sidearmstats.com/misericordia/wsoc/xlive.htm

Under the watchful eye of fourth-year head coach Frank Carrozza, the Lady Monarchs have enjoyed an outstanding season after winning a combined nine games the past three years during Carrozza's quest at rebuilding the program. Prior to the start of the season the Lady Monarchs were picked to finish seventh out of eight teams in the Freedom Conference Pre-Season Coaches Poll. As a results of King's success, Carrozza was named the 2013 Freedom Conference "Coach of the Year" earlier in the week.

Playing with a squad composed primarily of freshmen and sophomores, King's is currently 9-7-2 overall after advancing to the final with a 1-1, 3-2 shootout triumph over second-seeded Wilkes on Tuesday.  In the final King's will face a tremendous challenge in attempting to knock off a Misericordia squad that is 17-2-1, ranked 10th nationally in NCAA Division, and was a 2012 Division III National Tournament "Final Four" qualifier. The Cougars went 7-0 in Freedom Conference play this season and handed KIng's a 6-0 defeat on October 15. Misericordia outscored its seven regular-season Freedom Conference opponents 27-0 this season, then went out and posted a 5-0 triumph over fourth-seeded FDU-Florham in Tuesday's semi-finals.

"The achievements that we have accomplished to this point have been due to the players and staff evaluating what goals are short term and what are long term and in doing so making sure we are very realistic with our plan of attack day by day," Carrozza stated. "Having the outlook of 'let's take it one game at a time', as they are all important for us, has been an important viewpoint. We took risks that we have not considered in the past and in taking those risks making sure we fully buy into those the new concepts and endlessly working to perfect the new fostered approach was key. Our culture as a program has changed from years past."
Offensively, King's is paced by sophomore forward Ivy Nulton, an All-Freedom Conference selection with seven goals on the year. Sophomore forward Erin Laird follows with eight points on two goals and four assists. Rookie midfielder Alexandra Garrett adds seven points on three goals and one assist while freshmen Amy Barge and Gabrielle Murphy have tallied four points each. Sophomore midfielder Lindsey Humanik, another All-Freedom pick, and freshman Raquel Molina chip in with three points each.

Defense has been King's strongest area as the Lady Monarchs have allowed an average of 1.43 goals per-game throughout the season. The Lady Monarchs have allowed only 27 goals in 18 games and he team hopes to break the school-record

Sophomore Jessica Natale owns a 1.19 goals against average with 83 saves and was spectacular against Wilkes on Tuesday with several diving stops, including one in overtime and two in the penalty kick shootout, that helped the Lady Monarchs to victory.   Natale has six shutouts on the year, the most in the Freedom Conference, and is one away from equaling the school-record of seven shutouts set by Tracie Bellas in 1997.

Leading the King's defense and midfield is first-team All-Freedom Conference selection Sarah Borajkiewicz who has been rock-solid all-season. In addition, sophomores Shannon Laird,  Brydie Gillespie, Shaina Dougherty, Miranda Spangler, Elizabeth Reif, and Michelle Spataro, along with freshman Christina Nassaney and Whitney Nosenzo.

"As a staff we are very proud of this group," Carrozza noted. "As coaches we give the blueprints of the house we intend to build, but the players customize the house. They add their own style, and modifications to be able to call it their own. Sometimes the house gets broken windows or cracks in its foundation but repairs are always made and we continue to call it ours. We as a staff are very proud of and support our players within the program"

Misericordia, meanwhile, is led by 2013 Freedom Conference "Player of the Year" Megan Mahony, a Division I transfer for Canisius University.  A junior, Mahoney leads the team with 46 points on 15 goals and 16 assists and has scoured six game-winning goals. Junior Megan Lannigan follows with 34 points on 14 goals and six assists while sophomore Meghan Antrim contributes 25 points on 11 goals and three assists.  In goal, sophomore Maureen Ciccosanti has a 0.39 goals against average while making 57 saves.

"As for taking on the nationally ranked defending conference champions - we do not fear them or anyone for that matter as the game is the same for both teams," Carrozza concluded. "The playing rules are the same, the ball is the same, their players have two legs, and their field has two goals. Various plans of attack are being considered and we plan to fully support whatever methods that have been chosen to the last whistle."

The winner of the Freedom Conference Tournament will receive an automatic berth into the NCAA Division III National Tournament. The tournament field will be announced Monday.