Madison, NJ (November 13) – For just the second time in program history and first time since 2005, the FDU-Florham women's soccer team was crowned champions of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Tournament. Today, the top-seeded Devils defeated second-seed and MAC Freedom rival DeSales University, 3-2, on Robert T. Shields Field.
At the conclusion of the game, FDU-Florham sophomore
Ashley Dietrich (Middletown, NJ) was named Most Valuable Player of the Tournament. The Devils also saw
Sofia Carrozza (Pawling, NY),
Erica Blackburn (Marlboro, NJ),
Amanda Martinho (Bridgewater, NJ), Mia Lopez (Rockaway, NJ) and Dietrich earn spots on the All-Tournament Team.
With today's win, the third matchup of the year between DeSales and FDU-Florham, the Devils avenged two previous losses to the Bulldogs and finished the 2022 season at 17-5-1 overall, while DeSales closed its season at 13-7-2.
Kerrigan de Meij got DeSales on the board just ten minutes into the game before Dietrich found the equalizer in the 18th minute for FDU-Florham. Before halftime, Dietrich finished a long pass from
Carly Santucci (Middlesex, NJ) as the Devils held a 2-1 edge at the break.
In the 51st minute, Cassidy Klein registered her second goal of the year to knot the match up at 2-2. Both Lopez and Dietrich peppered the DeSales keeper two times apiece before a pair of one touch passes from
Ashleigh Frankel (Branchburg, NJ) and
Aleyna Gross (East Lansing, Mich.) set up Lopez's game winning goal with less than ten minutes to play in regulation.
Lopez tied the single season program record with her seventh game winner of the year with Brittany Kanickij, who tallied seven during the 2010 campaign. Lopez also finished the season with 19 goals, which only ranks behind Kanickij for the most in a single season as she tallied 22 in 2009 and 21 in 2010. Lopez also produced just the fourth 40+ point season in program history and first since Kanickij and Lora Fink had 47 and 40, respectively, in 2010.
Today's win over DeSales marked the first victory over the Bulldogs for FDU-Florham since October 15, 2013.
Blackburn made five saves in net for the Devils as she closed her season with a 17-5-1 record, while DeSales keeper Hannah Pacheco made six saves in net for the Bulldogs.
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FDU-Florham is currently running a campaign in honor of former Devils men's basketball head coach, men's golf coach and athletic director Roger Kindel.
All donations will go directly towards funding a complete renovation of the basketball and volleyball court inside the Ferguson Recreation Center with his name dawned on both sides. If you are interested in reading more about the campaign and/or making a donation to the cause, please follow the link here: https://support.fdu.edu/athletics/devils/giving/roger-kindel
