NOVEMBER 9, 2013

KING'S WOMEN'S DROP 3-1 DECISION TO 10TH RANKED MISERICORDIA IN FREEDOM CONFERNECE TITLE GAME

DALLAS -- The King's College women's soccer was unable to make an early second-half goal stand up as the Lady Monarchs made a valiant effort in dropping a 3-1 decision to 10th ranked and defending champion Misericordia University in the Freedom Conference championship game Saturday at Manglesdorf Field in Dallas.

With the win, top-seeded Misericordia, an NCAA Division III "Final Four" qualifier a year ago, improved to 18-2-1 on the year after winning their second straight league title. King's, which entered the tournament as the third seed, ended its season at 9-8-2. 

After a scoreless first half, King's stunned the home crown when Ivy Nulton scored on a breakaway 7:13 into the second stanza to put King's on top 1-0. It marked the first time an opponent had scored on the Cougars all season long.

But Misericordia caught a break nearly 10 minutes later when conference player of the year Megan Mahoney was awarded a penalty kick and converted the free pass at the 63:02 mark.

From there the Cougars assumed command as Mahoney fed Erin McGreal a cross from the left wing for a goal just 2:59 later.  Misericordia then added its third goal in just over a six-minute span when Mahoney tallied her second goal off an assist from Meghan Antrim.

Misericordia outshot King's 28-2 in the game and held a 3-1 advantage in corner kicks. Lady Monarchs goalie Jessica Natale posted 12 saves in net.

For King's, it was the end to a remarkable season of improvement in which the team was picked seventh among eight team in the Freedom Conference Pre-Season Coaches Poll. The Lady Monarchs, who had won a combined nine games the past three seasons, proved they re a team to watch in upcoming years with a squad comprised almost exclusively of freshmen and sophomores.