Women's Soccer

Feels Like '98! Bentley Wins NE10 Women's Soccer Title

Falcons Defeat Franklin Pierce, 2-1, For Second-Ever NE10 Championship

CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE
FINAL (Nov. 8)
No. 2 Bentley 2, No. 1 Franklin Pierce 1
Box Score I Watch Replay on FloCollege
 
AWARDS
United State Marines Most Outstanding Player: Taylor Walwyn (Bentley)
All-Championship Team: Taylor Walwyn (Bentley), McKay Pratt (Bentley), Olivia Matthews (Bentley), McKenna Maguire (Franklin Pierce), Jess LaCroix (Franklin Pierce), Madison Botta (Saint Anselm), Julia Palmese (Saint Michael's)
Elite 24 Award Winner: Vanessa Praher (Franklin Pierce), Senior, Major: Sport and Recreation Management, 4.00 GPA

KEY MOMENTS
  • Bentley fell behind 1-0 after Franklin Pierce's Kaitlyn Bautista scored with just 34 seconds left in the half.
  • But the team regrouped at halftime, and just 2:44 into the second half, Pratt tied the game with her third goal of the year.
  • Matthews gained possession in midfield and had space to run towards the penalty area, where she dropped a pass off to McKay. With space to shoot, McKay took one dribble and ripped a shot into the top left corner for the goal.
  • Then in the 65th minute, Cami Ayandele scored her second goal of the postseason and sixth of the year. The goal was set up with a cross in from the right wing by Rachael Abbott. The ball took a deflection in front of the goal and Ayandele pounced on the loose ball to give Bentley a 2-1 lead.
  • The final 25-plus minutes saw the Falcons tighten up defensively to protect the lead.
  • The final scoring chance Franklin Pierce had was in the 88th minute with a cross that was sent in towards goal but it was cleared away by center back Evelyn Beers.

GAME NOTES
  • Bentley women's soccer won the Northeast 10 title with a 2-1 victory over the #1 seed and #5 nationally ranked Franklin Pierce on Sunday.
  • It's the second NE10 championship in program history and first since 1998. The Falcons were the #2 seed and ranked #16 nationally this week.
  • An already historic season for the Falcons that has seen a program record for wins (now at 15) and their first ever top-five national ranking, now includes the NE10 championship and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
  • For head coach Tim Mason, he leads the Falcons to the conference championship in his first season.
  • Sophomore midfielder Taylor Walwyn was named the Most Outstanding Player. Walwyn, along with McKay Pratt and Olivia Matthews were Bentley players named to the All-Tournament team.
WHAT IS NEXT?
Bentley is headed to the NCAA Tournament. The NCAA Division II Women's Soccer selection show is scheduled for 7:00 PM EST on Monday, November 9th on ncaa.com.
ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 10 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.

Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.

Fans can subscribe via this link to follow NE10 NOW on FloSports this season. The partnership between the NE10 and FloSports works to provide funds back to the athletic departments of the Northeast 10 Conference in support of student-athletes while promoting the league on a national platform.