Women’s soccer team win fourth straight HVIAC title

Women’s soccer team win fourth straight HVIAC title

Meeting for the fifth-straight year for the league title, top seed and regular-season champion the Mighty Oaks held off No. 2 seed Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, 3-0, on a rainy Sunday afternoon at ACPHS Soccer Field to claim the 2019 Hudson Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Women's Soccer Championship.

Ranked No. 2 in the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) coaches poll, ESF (11-2, 3-0 HVIAC) captures the HVIAC for the fourth-straight year and also claims the conference's automatic bid to the USCAA National Championship held from Nov. 7-11 in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

The Mighty Oaks, who outscored league opponents 19-0 en route to capturing the regular-season title, jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the 13th minute off an own goal. ESF maintained a one-goal lead at intermission before junior Theresa Ferrigno (Oakdale, New York/Connetquot High School) found the back of the net nine minutes into the second half. Junior Lindsay Eberhart (Freeport, New York/Freeport High School) tallied her 14th of the season in the 74th minute to cap the scoring.

ESF outshot Albany Pharmacy (4-5-2, 2-1 HVIAC), 16-9, in the contest and junior Lauren Claeys (Mechanicville, New York/Mechanicville Jr./Sr. High School) made four saves to pick up her sixth win in goal in a combined shutout.

For her efforts in scoring the second goal and helping the defense post a clean sheet, Ferrigno was named Tournament MVP.

The Mighty Oaks will await their seeding for the six-team tournament when the field is announced Oct. 30 at 4:30 p.m. on theuscaa.com.

In the men's soccer tournament, ESF advanced to the championship game knocking off Vaughn College, 4-0, but falling to Berkeley College 1-0 in the championship game.

Sophomore Jack Phillips scored two goals in the 4-0 win vs Vaughn. The men's team will await a possible at-large berth at the USCAA national championship when the field is announced on Oct. 30.

Several ESF players received all-conference honors. For the women's team, senior Alyssa Hughes was named the conference Player of the Year. Senior Alexa Blunck, junior Lauren Claeys and sophomore Rachael Foote were named to the All-Conference team.

For the men, seniors Luke Day and Michael Myagkota and juniors Ian Foote and Carmine Tronolone were named to the All-Conference team. Freshman Aaron Flint was named Rookie of the Year.

Men's and women's head coach Adam Scalisi was named Coach of the Year.

(recap courtesy of HVIAC)