WEST HARTFORD, Conn. - The Hartford women's soccer team will be hosting the Conference of New England (CNE) Tournament once again after clinching the #1 seed for the third-consecutive year on Tuesday afternoon defeating Western New England University by a 2-1 final. Freshman Olivia Fuimara (Trumbull, Conn.) was the hero scoring a game-winner with 20 seconds left in the game.
Rapid Recap:
- The Hawks would come out strong getting three on target chances in the first 10 minutes with three saves going to Ainsley Napolitano. Junior Angela Chávez (Glastonbury, Conn.) would open the scoring in the 11th minute lifting a shot well past the 18 yard box into the top corner to give Hartford the 1-0 lead. The Golden Bears would respond with a pair of chances in the next five minutes, but freshman Madelyn Nunnemacher (Sutton, Mass.) would make a pair of comfortable saves. Senior Kathleen Brush (Wethersfield, Conn.) almost doubled the Hawks lead in the 29th minute with a rocket that was tapped away by Napolitano. Western New England would get a final chance in the 37th minute, but Nunnemacher would make the save as the lead was 1-0 headed into the break.
- The teams were slow in the early portion of the first half with the first shot of the period coming in the 66th minute as freshman Taylor Freimuth (Terryville, Conn.) taking a chance stopped by Napolitano. The Golden Bears would even the score in the 80th as on a counter attack Liza Pinette would strike it into the far side to tie the game. Hartford would stay on the attack getting a chance from Brush in the 81st minute saved by the keeper. Finally in the 90th minute Chávez would find sophomore Anastasia Nerney (Glocester, R.I.) on the break who would cross to Fuimara for the goal to lift the Hawks.
Post Game Press:
"Clinching the game winner meant a lot to me and the team", said freshman
Olivia Fuimara (Trumbull, Conn.). "I couldn't have done it without my teammates, Anna had an amazing ball to me! The team is excited but, is focused on performing well in playoffs."
Inside the Numbers:
- Hartford clinched its third-straight CNE Regular Season Championship with the win.
- Fuimara scored her third goal of the season and her first collegiate game-winner for the Hawks. Chávez picked up her second goal of the year as well as her fifth assist in the win. Nerney added her sixth assist on the year and her first point since October 13th in the win.
- Nunnemacher picked up her 11th win of the season making four saves in the win for the Hawks.
- Pinette would score her 11th goal of the season for the Golden Bears in the loss.
- Napolitano would stop seven shots in the loss as it marks the end of the season for Western New England.
- Hartford doubled the on target shots over Western New England taking 10 while the Golden Bears had five.
Up Next:
The Hawks will take a week off and host the CNE Semifinals on Tuesday with a 5:00 PM start time.
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