Saturday, April 29, 2006

WARRIORS WRAP UP REGULAR SEASON WITH 19-3 VICTORY OVER ANCHORWOMEN

On Senior’s Day, Mastroianni scores five goals and reaches 100-goal mark

MANSFIELD, Conn. – The Warriors defeated Rhode Island College 19-3 during Saturday’s Senior Day match, the final regular season home match and Little East Conference contest of the year.

With its eighth win in its final ten regular-season matches, Eastern (8-7, 5-1 little east) closes out the regular season by climbing over the .500 mark for the first time this year. The Warriors had already clinched second place and the No. 2 seed in the conference playoffs, which get underway Tuesday with first-round matches.  The match was the final one of the year for Rhode Island (3-13, 0-6 little east), which failed to qualify for the conference tournament.

Regular-season conference champion Plymouth State University will host the semifinals and final Friday and Saturday. The playoff champion receives an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. 

Senior captain Kara Mastroianni (NEWINGTON), a midfielder, ended the final regular season home game of her career by becoming the eighth player in program history to amass at least 100 goals. She tied her personal game record of five goals (missing only one shot), three assists and eight points, which she had set earlier this year. She is currently ranked ninth all-time with 130 career points. Mastroianni scored her 99th and 100th career goals 18 seconds apart with 12 minutes left in the first half.

A trio of juniors backed Mastroianni offensively. Midfielder Jenna Faiola (BILLERICA, MA) contributed five goals, midfielder Kara Bradley (NORTH HAVEN) four and attack Meghan Feraco (NORWICH) three.  Freshman midfielder Elisa Rapuano (HAMDEN) entered play with five assists this year, but recorded four against the Anchorwomen.

In addition to her scoring, Bradley led the Warriors with six ground balls and four caused turnovers, Mastroianni adding four ground balls and freshman defender Jackie Bivona (MIDDLEBURY) three ground balls. Bradley, Faiola and sophomore attack Lily Anderson (PORTLAND, ME) each won three draws.

Rhode Island College junior center Caitlin Gavin (Portsmouth, RI) had two goals in a losing effort. Sophomore goalkeeper Sydney Culbertson (North Kingstown, RI) made 15 saves.